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Clock Ticking on Daylight-Saving Time Changes

Posted by Amy Larsen DeCarlo on February 15, 2007

Timing really is everything.

Smartphones should probably be OK because they synchronize with the cellular network to get the correct time. However, non-smartphones (including both Wi-Fi- and non-Wi-Fi PDAs) will probably be affected by the new daylight-saving time. Sean Ginevan NWC Contributing Editor The things that are affected are a bit more widespread than you would think. Just take Java for example. It has its own timezone tables it uses instead of asking the OS. These need to be patched (see here). I did a scan of the applications drive here and found about 20 copies of the JVM out there -- lots of apps install their own copy. I am sure there are many apps built on Java that will be affected. James Drews NWC Contributing Editor For systems that use time as a component for authentication, that hour could be the difference between logging in or not. Mike Fratto NWC Network Infrastructure Editor

A Microsoft bulletin is telling system administrators that a congressionally mandated change in the start and end dates for daylight-saving time (DST) could result in some significant problems in their mobile Outlook calendars.

To head off issues that could shift mobile Outlook calendar items to incorrect times and throw users' schedules off-kilter, Microsoft says administrators should advise end users to download files to their devices immediately. The United States is shifting the beginning of the time change forward by three weeks this year. Canada has a similar change planned.

The Microsoft bulletin also calls into question how software running on a range of other devices will be impacted by the DST shift. Industry observers say wide-area devices that get their time updates from a base station will be unaffected by the shift.

Microsoft says mobile users who connect to a PC must also install the software on their PCs to keep their calendars in sync. The company says it is critical that end users follow all instructions, and that all connected devices be updated, noting that if some users fail to update their software, it will have a detrimental effect on other users.