Spring forward, fade into oblivion?

By Sam Fran Scavuzzo
Collegian Editor
February 21, 2007

Remember all the hub-bub back in 1999 about an iminent appocalypse that would happen when the clock struck midnight Dec. 31? Well, for all those Y2Kers out there, computer operating systems around the United States may face a similar predictament when it’s time to turn the clocks forward for daylight savings time (DST).

On March 11, DST will go into effect across the country. For those of you not paying attention to congressional bills the past few years, this will be about three weeks earlier than it normally occurs. Usually clocks spring forward on the first Sunday in April, but, according to a provision in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the date was changed in order to increase energy savings.

This may seem innocuous to some, as the time shift usually occurs in the wee hours on a weekend. However, the computer industry may not be ready for this jump.

Although not as jarring as the Y2K bug, Microsoft is warning users of computers manufactured before the 2005 law to “view any appointments ... as suspect until they communicate with all meeting invitees,” according to a Feb. 19 article on CNN.com.

Basically, everyone will have to manually reset the clocks on their computers. An inconveience to some is not the worst part of Y2K-lite.

According to Cameron Haight, a Gartner Inc. analyst cited in the article, said that it might force transactions occurring within one hour of midnight to be recorded on the wrong day. Also, computers might serve up erroneous information about multinational teleconference times and physical-world appointments.

Thankfully, Microsoft is offering updates to systems to accomodate the shift.

My point is about the lack of publicity about the change. Until you read this piece, how many people out there knew about this shift? All positive benefits aside (it won’t be dark for kids waiting for their morning school bus), this move crept up on a lot of people unexpectedly.

If the government wants to shift something like this, then, I feel a large majority of the public should be made aware through radio spots, television commericals, newspaper ads, etc.

When March 11 does roll around, I know I don’t want to be late for my badmitton or chess club. At least La Salle will be on Spring Break, so we won’t have to worry about it.

scavuzzos1@lasalle.edu