I’ve never paid much attention to Daylight Saving Time (DST). I actually prefer the time change in the Fall because then I gain an extra hour of sleep. Well, at least I used to gain an extra hour of sleep - before I had kids. I never knew the origin of DST, but I started reading up on it after hearing all the buzz about the computer glitches that will arise due to switching the Spring DST time change from the first Sunday in April to March 11 this year.
When I first heard of the computer glitch issue, I was taken back to 1999 when computer geeks everywhere were hyped up about Y2K. I’m a SAHM now and figured the glitch wouldn’t affect me. However, a few days ago I was performing the all important task of checking my DVR scheduled recordings to make sure I wasn’t missing any reality TV, when I was personally touched by this glitch. I paged forward to Sunday and saw that “The Amazing Race” was scheduled to start at 6pm central time, instead of 7pm. I paged down to check a few other shows when it hit me… this DST computer glitch thing was messing with my TV programs!! Several important thoughts raced through my head… “Would my DVR catch on that ‘The Amazing Race’ was showing up on the Comcast guide one hour earlier?” “Did Comcast know that this glitch was affecting their TV guide?” “Who can I contact to straighten this out?” That’s when I headed straight for my laptop to do some research.
I learned about the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and about the Uniform Time Act of 1966. I probably should have known about this stuff before, but I’m a bit turned off by politics. I found it interesting that there is such a debate over whether this act will result in a net energy saving, and that this little computer glitch could be a bigger deal than Y2K (Wikipedia, 2007). Time published an article indicating a $350 million cost to publicly traded companies in the US. That’s no small chunk of change. Some think this will all wash out in the end, but really, who can be sure of that?
If you’re wondering how this will affect your VCR, laptop, desktop, or home medical equipment that is time based, you might want to check out these articles:
Early Daylight Saving Switch Could Confuse Some Computers
Unpredictable Events in Medical Equipment due to New Daylight Savings Time Change
Old Versions of Windows and Daylight Saving Time: The Phantom Menace
So for all of you clock changers like me who mindlessly set your clocks ahead this Sunday, stop and think about what an impact this is going to have on our economy. I will be very interested to see if this Act helps to remedy the nation’s energy problems. Oh, and for the Comcast customers, don’t worry, I checked and the Comcast TV guide and am happy to announce the glitch has been fixed.
