Dealing With Daylight Saving Time

Daylight Saving Time's start three weeks earlier this year might be welcome news for many, but the Associated Press noted Microsoft is warning that any software programmed before a 2005 law changed the beginning date from the first Sunday in April to the second Sunday in March could present users with problems. This is because software created before 2005 is set to automatically advance timekeeping by one hour on the first Sunday in April.

This time flaw "could cause head-scratching episodes when some computers are an hour off," said AP. Moreover, computers won't be the only thing affected, as there will be plenty of other non-networked time-keeping devices that automatically adjust for daylight savings, such as digital watches and clocks.

Cameron Haight, a Gartner Inc. analyst told AP that the glitch "might force transactions occurring within one hour of midnight to be recorded on the wrong day. Computers might serve up erroneous information about multinational teleconference times and physical-world appointments."

To help home users, work users, and others work through problems caused by the change, Microsoft offers a Daylight Saving Time Help and Support Center.

The Apple site also offers information and updates to help users adjust to this weekend's time change.