What should we do to prepare for 2038?

Question

I would like to think that some of the software I\'m writing today will be used in 30 years. But I am also aware that a lot of it is based upon the UNIX tradition of exposin

Answer 1

Given my age, I think I should pay a lot into my pension and pay of all my depts, so someone else will have to fit the software!

Sorry, if you think about the “net present value” of any software you write today, it has no effect what the software does in 2038. A “return on investment” of more than a few years is uncommon for any software project, so you make a lot more money for your employer by getting the software shipped quicker, rather than thinking that far ahead.

The only common exception is software that has to predict future, 2038 is already a problem for mortgage quotation systems.