-={ Geloofwaardige datetime-stempel voor Ladysmith BC, Canada: 2020-12-18
09:10:33 -0800 }=-

Hallo August!

 AA> Are you doing that on an 16-bit system?

Nope.  It is a 64-bit system and coreutils date uses a 64-bit floating point
instead of a 64-bit signed integer which will expire on Wed Dec 31 23:59:59 UTC
2147485547.  That is well over 2 billion years from now.

 AA> On a semi-related note, I found out that both of my iPods will
 AA> be useless for date related things once 2038 rolls around.

That is the usual 32-bit signed integer unixtime bug and has been well known
for decades.  Same with the ntp datetime except that expires sooner (2036) as
the base year there is 1900 instead of 1970 which expains the earlier
expiration date.  Exact same problem though.

 AA> I may still keep them for playing music, podcasts and some
 AA> videos  - or maybe I'll expire before then!  :/

It is entirely possible that I could make it until then.  I am not betting on
it though and I am not entirely sure I want to depending on my health.

Anyhow both ntp and unix are moving to a 64-bit signed integer so this will be
solved long before then if it hasn't already happened.

However the issue I am pointing out has nothing to do with the 32-bit issue but
instead is a product of the two digit year which has a very easy fix - don't
EVER use a two digit year.  It is a stupid idea that has been demonstrated
since the late 1990's up to 2019 which is the last one I was aware of.  I have
run across a few reports that some windows apps have a 20 year cycle for this
particular bug set to go off at the end of 2029.  I could look it up again and
give a reference if it matters any.

Het leven is goed,
Maurice

... Geþyld byþ middes eades.
    Patience is half of happiness.
--- GNU bash, version 5.1.0(1)-release (x86_64-motorshed-linux-gnu)