A Rant.....

[maxximilian]

Two things that piss me off.....Microsoft and daylight saving time...have come together this year to REALLY REALLY piss me off.....

In case you haven't heard....the US government, in it's infinite wisdom has decided to expand the daylight saving time (DST) period by moving the start date up. Now aside from being a thoroughly antiquated tradition with questionable benefits....it also carries a special Y2K-like problem for computers this year. Our machines were designed to pick up on DST automatically, but based on the dates for DST when the operating systems were designed. Now those dates have changed....so our machines will read the wrong time when the change happens this weekend...unless you have Vista.

No problem you say? Just go to Microsoft and get the patch for the new DST dates you say?

BZZZZZZZT.................wrong answer....

You see....Microstupid and its equally infinite wisdom has decided that it won't issue DST patches for older operating systems like 98, ME....and believe it or not.....XP SP1. That's right.....if you want the DST patch, you must (repeat MUST) upgrade to XP SP2 before MS updates will even talk with your machine. Now I have been running into a myriad of problems lately regarding this XP1 versus XP2 mess. I have bought two pieces of hardware (Cam and printer) and several pieces of software that clearly stated on the box:

Compatable with Microsoft XP

It's not until you try to install that you get the blood pressure boosting message saying "You must have service pack 2 installed to run this yadda...yadda...yadda" I am so sick of seeing that message....

What's the trouble you say? Why don't you just upgrade to SP2?

BZZZZZZT.........wrong answer....

I tried SP2 on this machine and although it works fine on my laptop, it wrecked this one to the point of having to renistall windows. And even when it did work (briefly) it was annoyingly filled with security items designed to help an 85 year old grandmother using a computer for the first time. For me....the security got in the way. I don't need Uncle Bill holding my hand as I walk around the internet. Just fix the holes and leave me alone. Besides that....and what MS doesn't tell you...some older programs won't run properly on XP2. I have two old graphics programs that won't work right under SP2....and I aint changing from them. I like them....

So anyway....back to DST. As near as I can figure....there is no way to get a patch for the DST snafu without first taking SP2. So guess what....my clock is going to be an hour off for a few weeks and MS can KMA.....

Here's the message you get when you try to get the DST patch without running SP2....

Windows XP Home Edition
To apply daylight saving time changes to your computer, you must install Windows XP Service Pack 2. This will require a restart of your computer.

Important
Copy the following link where you can refer to it. After your computer restarts, you must return to the DST guide by using this link:
http://support.microsoft.com/DST2007
When you are asked again to select your operating system, select Service Pack 2 of your edition of Windows.

And please....don't lecture me how XP SP1 is so pirated that Microstupid has no choice but force people away from it. Windows piracy is Uncle Bill's problem, not mine. Fact is....maybe if he treated his paying customers better, they might not be so willing to run off and use a hot copy. If you run a restaurant where you spit in everyone's eggs and charge an outrageous price for it....you shouldn't be surprised when people leave without paying.

rant over....

[chaszal]

Dear Maxximilian,
Good rant.
Chas

[fink]

Can't you just adjust the time manually? Or is there some hidden issue here that I'm missing?

[maxximilian]

Manually?

Got me.......Guess we will find out in a few hours......

However....I imagine if it was that easy, Microsoft wouldn't be charging $4,000 for a hotfix on "older" systems. And creating patches for the others...

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=288&tag=nl.e622

"For products that have entered into the Extended Support phase, Microsoft will provide customers with the opportunity to purchase the DST 20007 hotfix at a reduced price of Four Thousand Dollars (US $4,000). Customers will only be charged a single fee of $4,000 to obtain all hotfixes, for products in Extended Support phase, needed to update their systems for DST 2007.

"For customers who have previously purchased DST 2007 hotfixes for products in Extended Support, Microsoft will reimburse the difference to them under the new pricing category."

If manual changes can be made...then MS should have provided that information as well...instead of forcing a download on people.

BTW....is the time setting in BIOS seperate from Windoze?

[maxximilian]

Fink:

I think with a manual change....you will also have to disable time synchronization features. Otherwise....it will revert....I think....

Then...later on in a few weeks....when the old DST date arrives, you will have to reset everything. What all this would do with calendars and reminders is beyond me. Anything input in a reminder program or calendar before you manually reset the clock woulf be off by an hour.


I think..................

Of course....my point is even more valid. Had MS provided the proper support, we wouldn't need to be trying to find a manual way.

Keep in mind...as we discuss bits and bytes and computers....

This whole mess is Ben Franklin's idea to save on candles and whale oil in a world that actually went to sleep every night. We are 24-7 now....and I hardly think we are saving much of anything in the big picture. I think they are doing it just to aggravate me.....

[usil]

I may be missing something here, but:
Double click the clock in sys tray, click on the Time Zone tab and remove the check from "Automatically adjust clock for daylight saving changes".

[crunchie]

Or do what I did and select the next time zone .

[imadreamer2]

I did nothing and mine adjusted all on it's own. Wierd. I was expecting it to have problems but since it didn't that okay.

[maxximilian]

I turned on my computer this morning................................and it blew up. I have a hard drive platter protruding from my liver now.

[fink]

That's gonna leave a mark.

[wonderinguy34]

Posting to see if my timestamp is correct at VDr,at some boards its showing the pre-DST time.

Nope its showing 6:54pm(actually 7:54 PST),its either a Board software issue or manually changing the time on ones PC still causes issues.

[maxximilian]

My computer clock is currently wrong......

But it does match the VDR clock.....LOL

They matched yesterday just fine too....so it looks like the VDR software hasn't adjusted....just like me.

[wonderinguy34]

My computer clock is currently wrong......

But it does match the VDR clock.....LOL

They matched yesterday just fine too....so it looks like the VDR software hasn't adjusted....just like me.

Well thanks,it seems most(all) Forums I visit haven't patched(if there is even one available),thats why I was wonderin' if it was my Comp.

[smurfy]

I turned on my computer this morning................................and it blew up. I have a hard drive platter protruding from my liver now.

I think Maxx needs a patch.

They're starting to talk about extending DST here as well (will be for next summer) and as I sit here at 12:40am it's 24 C (75F), I think it could be a pretty good idea