Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

SA Explorer 8000SD/HD Experiences Y2K-like Bug

Posted by timothy on from the it's-just-like-the-mars-rover dept.

An anonymous reader writes "According to an article at Audioholics, a firmware bug was just discovered in the Scientific Atlanta 8000SD and 8000HD DVRs (Digital Video Recorders) which renders them unable to record. This firmware bug was discovered when the units attempted to recognize February 29th on the programming guide. The units are apparently unable to recognize this date, and as a result, shut down all record functions. All other aspects of the 8000 will continue to work. So far, it looks like no previously recorded material was lost. Scientific Atlanta is apparently in "Emergency Session" working on a software patch. The problem began occuring on the 23rd when the 7-day program guide first began to encounter the February 29th programming."

3 of 39 comments (clear)

  1. getting the splinter and missing the 2x4? by Roman_(ajvvs) · · Score: 5, Insightful
    That's just piss poor programming. Honestly, If you can't figure out that knowing about and handling leap years is important in software that schedules, then maybe outsourcing your position is fitting...

    I recall I had a whole discussion with my friends about whether 2000 had a leap year. Most of those who got it wrong weren't the most computer literate, but it took about 5 minutes to figure it out from the internet.

    It's needless bugs like this, which give programmers a bad name.

    --
    click-clack, front and back. I'm not moving this car otherwise.
    1. Re:getting the splinter and missing the 2x4? by spitzak · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Actually the weird thing about getting 2000 wrong (it *IS* a leap year) is that it requires more research to actually get it wrong. A very simple approach would get it right.

      In order of complexity leap year algorithims are:

      0. No year is a leap year (2000 is wrong)
      1. All years where n%4==0 are leap years (2000 is right)
      2. Except when n%100==0 (2000 is wrong)
      3. Except when n%400==0 (2000 is right)

      For some reason a huge number of people are at aware of the rules up through #2 above, even though knowing only #1 would make the results more correct.

    2. Re:getting the splinter and missing the 2x4? by CowboyNick · · Score: 5, Funny

      Top x reasons you've been coding to much:

      ......
      2. You start all lists with "0".
      .....

      --
      -CowboyNick