*The Y2K38 Bug. One wonders if anybody in 2038 will have the chops to deal with this

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2038_problem

Year 2038 problem - Wikipedia

@bruces a key challenge here will be explaining it to the masses. Given that are already reported incidents of it surfacing – like Wikipedia page will need an extra section to grow over time.

@bruces I think the fallout should be minimal. Though, for embedded systems the risk is real.

Debian Trixie should be free of 2K38 issues, as it is switching to 64-bit time_t for (hopefully all) libraries.

I do think I'm losing some peers to "AI" "vibe coding", but most of us will still be able to fiddle 32-bit time_t if we are still around in 2035. I won't yet be able to draw social security retirement by that time, so I will probably still be working.

I don't really like dealing with embedded systems, but I can do it, and there are people my age (and younger) that actually like fiddling with the software on such systems.

@bruces

IR will humanity be in a state where it even matters?
@bruces I was very busy in the Y2K run-up (wonder what the COBOL market is like these days?!) so anyone dealing with Y2K38 has my sympathy (especially as the reward for doing a lot of work and minimizing the problem is to be repeatedly told "see, it was no big deal")
@bruces Vibe coding to the rescue! 
@bruces @luciedigitalni it’s already a problem. You should definitely book your leave for the week of 18-22 January 2038 now…
@bruces In retrospect, the Y2K38 bug was a smaller problem than we feared. The REAL problems started when someone said “Don’t worry, we can use AI to fix this.”
@bruces like there's going to be electricity in 2038, what a laugh