If it was done the way IBM intended it, the nines card would have
999999 ot mark EOF. Since that is not a valid date, 9/9/99 would be a
valid date and all would work out ok. The programer would check the
date and compare it to 99/99/99. If that test failed, then the next
check would be to make sure the month is between 01 and 12, the day
between 01 and 31 and then accept the record or reject it based on that
info. I guess Big Blue wasn't quite so dumb, but I suspect a few
programmers along the way might have forgot to do the check the right
way. It wouldn't be the first time I ran into poorly written code.
Now will the date be correct on my Sony R30 after 12/31/99? Or will I
have to look for another recorder without END SEARCH but with time and
date stamping and Automatic Record Level control?
LaPedis, Ron wrote:
>
> I know of two companies which use 9/9/99 in the date field to mean 'no date
> entered' One is a large insurer which used (they scrambled a couple weeks
> ago to fix it!) 9/9/99 to mean that there was no end date entered for
> medical coverage (eg: coverage is ongoing). The programs prevented the data
> entry staff from entering 9/9/99 into any date field which meant that they
> could not enter today as a start date for a new employee.
>
> Another company uses 9/9/99 as 'no committed ship date.' Every morning the
> printer in the warehouse prints all of the 'to be shipped today' orders out.
> I am guessing that they had a mile high stack waiting for them today.
>
> Ron LaPedis
> Compaq Professional Services
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: J. Coon [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: September 09, 1999 05:33
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: MD: Hoax: 9999999 (was: Y2K compliance Hoax)
>
> EOF marker card was filled with 80 nines, since it was an 80 column
> card. The code was being written when the date 9/9/99 was so far off
> that everyone thought the program would be replaced by a more modern
> technology before it bacame a problem. Using a 9's card to signify EOF
> was standard procedure for the industry. I learned it from my classes
> at IBM. So I guess according to your perfect 20-20 hindsite, Big Blue
> should be forced into bankrupcy for teaching such a poor technique.
>
> Alexander Dietrich writ:
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--
Jim Coon
Not just another pretty mandolin picker
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If Gibson made cars, would they sound so sweet?
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http://www.tir.com/~liteways/
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