Latest computer glitch: daylight saving time

It could cost more than $500 million to update software associated with the time change March 11, experts say.

from the March 7, 2007 edition

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Biggest hurdle: calendar features

Bradley manages roughly 40 computers, but BlackBerrys and other smart phones with calendar features posed the biggest challenges. "[Since Y2K] we've had seven more years of tech to get into our pockets, our purses, and our phones than we had back then. We're using a lot more calendar invites."

The problem isn't without a silver lining for software vendors who decide not to provide DST updates for older versions, as it nudges clients to pay for upgrades.

Microsoft has created free updates, known as patches, for newer versions of Microsoft Windows such as XP. Microsoft's latest software, Vista, was shipped after Congress passed a law in 2005 to lengthen DST for energy conservation reasons. Microsoft also provides customers with instructions to manually update their systems, or for $4,000 they can receive a software patch to versions six to 10 years old, a decision criticized by Bradley and others.

However, defenders of the practice say that most companies do support their software for several years, and that it would unreasonable for them to dust off ancient code. For newer software, companies such as Microsoft and Macintosh are now pushing updates seamlessly over the Internet – a trend that analysts say will shield many average consumers from DST hassles.

"If you look at the [software] that's come out in the last three or four years, there's generally patches available for it. And the patches are very easy to deploy," says Jeff Regan, an information technology adviser whose website, www.reganfamily.ca/dst/, compiles a wide variety of patches and instructions.

Advice for handling time change

He advises people, however, to put the date and time in the subject line of meeting invitations during the three-week window after March 11. Users of Microsoft Windows can also make sure their systems are ready by double-clicking on the clock on their computer screen and manually changing the date to March 12. The time zone at the bottom should change to "daylight."

After next week, techies will still have other systemic shocks to contemplate and, sooner or later, design around.

"At some point, it is quite likely that the phone system might need more than 10 digits in the USA. If you think daylight saving time has been a bit of a glitch zone, wait until you have to go to a 12-digit phone number," says Mr. Kyte.

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