Remember December 31, 1999? When the clock struck midnight we all breathed a sigh of relief that the world's computers did not all crash. This was because computer programs were written with just two digits assigned to the year. Once the clock struck "2000" the world's machines would have reset to 1900.

Businesses and government agencies hired hordes of computer programmers to sanitize their systems and prepare them for the new millennium. (Apple Computer had a field day because it turned out that only PCs lacked the design vision to anticipate that the century would change. Apple computers didn't have the problem.)

This year, in the U.S., we have a new "Y2K" - type of problem. In an effort to save fuel, Congress has extended daylight savings time from now on. It used to start in April but this year begins March 11; it used to end in October, but, beginning in 2007 extends till early November.
Be sure to download needed software updates for your computers and handhelds this weekend.

Let us know about your experiences or difficulties updating medical equipment operating systems and devices.

And of course, depending on what time you need to leave for work, drive carefully if you now find yourself in the dark.

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