y2k

[codybear]

So is your Desktop prepared for Y2k? There are hundreds of variables at play, but here's a tweak you should definitely apply. Double-click the 'Regional Settings' icon in your Control Panel, then select the 'Date' tab. Look at the 'Short Date Sample' field. You should see something akin to 'M/d/yy' -- this is the Windows 9x/NT default string. The problem: 'yy' will roll over to '00' (not '2000') when January 1st rolls around. To solve this problem, enter two additional lowercase 'y's to the end of the field -- or select a string that has 'yyyy' in it. Click 'Apply' when you're finished. It may keep your applications from going haywire in a few months.

[Joel Kleppinger]

Check out what I got from Fred Langa from WinMag.com in his LangaList.

Many of you have written about the "Short Date Format"
scare, and have wondered whether or not to use a two or four-
digit date.

If your PC is Y2K compliant (to find out, see
http://www.winmag.com/library/1999/0101/fea0061.htm ) and if
you've applied all the relevant Y2K patches (see
http://www.microsoft.com/y2k/ ), Windows will correctly
calculate dates regardless of whether you're using two or
four digits. As far as the OS itself goes, it doesn't much
matter which you choose.

But not all apps are happy with two-digit dates. And others
have trouble if you switch date formats midstream. You may
have to experiment to see what works best with your
software.

Generally speaking, if you have the option, the safest
choice is to use nonambiguous, four-digit dates whenever
possible. But if you have an application that is locked into
a two-digit format, then as long as the hardware and OS are
Y2K compliant, you should still be OK with the two-digit
format.

That is, if you have a choice: Canadian reader Marc Zaritsky
points out something I never knew:

Hi Fred.
Just wanted to let you know about an
interesting twist in the situation.
While part of a Y2K test team at work, I
discovered that only the regional
setting of "English(United States)"
actually allows Win95 and WinNT 4.0(!)
users to set that sys-tray popup to use
four-digit years.. If you use
"English(Canadian)" (as I do) or any
other non-US locale then the option
doesn't even exist in the settings..
Talk about the Microsoft quest for
global domination!
Best Regards from Canada,
Marc.

Very interesting, Marc, thanks!

Our Y2K discussion is still going on at the WinMag site---
and there's a whole new look to the Dialog Box discussions,
too! Come check it out at
http://www.winmag.com/columns/fred/1999/0809.htm