Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
What threat does the Year 2038 problem pose to our computers? Thanks for asking!
Chapter 2: What was the Y2K bug and why was it a concern?
Millennials, how well, if at all, do you remember the Y2K bug hype? Back in the 1990s, everyone was freaking out about computers crashing when the clock struck midnight on January 1st, 2000. That was because when computers were first built back in the mid-20th century, they stored years with only two digits instead of four due to memory limitations.
It was feared that when the clock ticked over from 99 to 00 in the year 2000, computers wouldn't recognize the new century and might revert to the year 1900. In the end, it turned out to be much ado about nothing. The widely predicted chaos didn't materialize. But fast forward two decades later and some people say we're looking at another potential computer meltdown on January the 19th, 2038.
and at 3 hours 14 minutes and 7 seconds past midnight to be precise.
Chapter 3: What is the Year 2038 problem and why should we be worried?
Why is 2038 the new date to watch out for? Well, it's kind of like Y2K, but a bit more complicated. You see, our computers track time using something called Unix time, which counts the seconds since January 1st, 1970, using a 32-bit number. The biggest number that can be stored this way is 2 to the power of 31 minus 1. That's 2,147,483,647 seconds.
Chapter 4: How does Unix time contribute to the Year 2038 problem?
And that second count will be reached on, you guessed it, January 19, 2038. Any 32-bit computer systems will then reset to a negative count of 2,147,483,647 seconds. which would be January the 13th, 1901. That could lead to a lot of fatal errors.
there is thankfully and it's a very simple fix it just involves switching a computer to a 64-bit system instead of a 32-bit one what's more most computers already use a 64-bit system so it's just a matter of reprogramming all remaining systems to that format it is more expensive but has way more room than with 32 bits
Chapter 5: What solutions exist to prevent the Year 2038 issue?
we're talking about a deadline extension of over 290 billion years, almost 21 times the age of the universe itself. Who knows what the world will look like at that point, and what solution will be found to the inevitable year 292 billion problem, but it's fair to say that we have plenty of time to prepare. There you have it. Now you know what threat the year 2038 problem poses to our computers.
In under three minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines.
Chapter 6: What long-term implications does the Year 2038 problem have?
Listen along and you will really know for sure.