Re: [NTLK] It is the Fix

On Sat, Jan 03, 2009 at 08:39:32PM +0100, Jon Glass wrote:
> Just caught this on MacObserver:
> "Previously, TMO and others reported on the Leap Year bug that caused
> Microsoft Zune's to freeze up on December 31. At first, one would
> think to blame Microsoft programmers, but Graham Cluley dug deeper and
> found that the problem can be traced to the clock chip from
> Freescale."
>
> Is Freescale the "inheritor" of the ARM chip used in the Newton? If
> so, is it possible that this same bug exists on our Newons? Is it also
> possible that it took the fix to "find" it?

I doubt it. The Zune clock bug locked the entire device up because it
landed in a loop that couldn't break -- it was something like "while
days is greater than 365, and if it's a leap year, set days to 366".

This is just a problem with Fix2010, and considering that it allows the
Newton to reckon with dates beyond then, having to reset the date
occasionally isn't that bad of a price to pay.

With the release of the Fix2010 source, some enterprising programmer
might be able to bring it to a non-alpha state. :)

> I don't know any of this stuff. I only offer it up for those who do
> know. Oh url...
> <http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_1_2_behind_the_curtain/>
>
> --
> -Jon Glass
> Krakow, Poland
> <jonglass@usa.net>
>

-- 
Pascal keeps your hand tied. C gives you enough rope to hang yourself. C++
gives you enough rope to shoot yourself in the foot.
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