[LINK] If a clock ticks in a Klearphelled forest, ...

[Roger Clarke]

Daylight saving ends early for some
Date: March 31 2008
The Sydney Morning Herald
Jonathan Dart
http://www.smh.com.au/text/articles/2008/03/30/1206850709186.html

NOT since Hal's performance in 2001: A Space Odyssey has technology 
turned on humanoids in so cruel a fashion.

Programming malfunctions in a range of electronic devices meant their 
clock times were pushed back an hour yesterday, oblivious to the fact 
that daylight saving in NSW had been extended for a week.

The glitch affected most computer systems with in-built clocks, 
ranging from mobile phones, personal computers and air-conditioners 
to security systems and City Rail's electronic timetables, though 
commuters tend to be less dependent on the latter.

It gave an insight into the disaster averted eight years ago when the 
millennium bug threatened to rear its head: alarm clocks gone 
haywire, appointments missed and millions of confused humanoids 
demanding answers.

In a dim sign of things to come, it was the least technologically 
advanced devices that were more likely to keep the correct time.

In mobile phones, the software in more advanced models such as 
hand-held Blackberries overrode network settings, while older models 
without the modern software continued on unchanged.

At Central Station, digital clocks were an hour out, while the old 
faithful analogue clock on the building's tower was spot on.

Some experts blamed the extent of the disruption on the humanoids' 
complacency after their victory over the Y2K bug.

Even computer scientist Tom Worthington, adjunct senior lecturer at 
the Australian National University, was caught out. He only learnt 
his digital television set-top box was an hour out when alerted to 
the glitch by the Herald.

But he said that unlike the Y2K bug, the glitch was minor. "Provided 
the [devices] that are really important - the ones where if it fails, 
someone dies - so long as they are programmed correctly, a lot of 
clocks being an hour out doesn't really matter," he said.

A Telstra spokesman described the malfunction as the night "Father 
Time and technology came to blows".

"The carriers will work with the manufacturers to ensure that come 
next year, customers won't encounter the same problem, but for now 
we're advising customers to change their time manually," he said.

Niki Owen missed her morning yoga class after the time on her Telstra 
mobile phone was pushed back an hour. "My partner's phone wasn't 
changed but we thought that Telstra would be more reliable," she said.

A spokesperson for St Vincent's Hospital said none of its vital 
computer systems were affected by the glitch.

NSW extended daylight saving for a week this year to bring it in line 
with other south-east Australian states.


-- 
Roger Clarke                  http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/
			            
Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
                    Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916
mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au                http://www.xamax.com.au/

Visiting Professor in Info Science & Eng  Australian National University
Visiting Professor in the eCommerce Program      University of Hong Kong
Visiting Professor in the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre      Uni of NSW