It seems that everyone is all frantic about this Y2K thing, except us. So we wanted everyone who uses our software products to completely relax as far as our software is concerned. We are not going to take advantage of this hysteria to get more money from you. Although, you may be required to purchase either updated versions of our programs or a software maintenance contract.
Since all DATOW Software programs have always been written in Compiled Basic and assembly language, we have had total control over how data was stored and processed. This is unlike most other towing programs that use high level languages such as Dbase, FoxPro, ZIM or one of the dozens of new ones that have recently appeared to make writing programs easy. However, the trade-off is that the author has little or no control over the inner workings of the program. Also, these programs tend to follow the previously unacceptable, but now commonplace, practice of producing bloated programs with no concern whatsoever for speed of execution, load time, backups and many other issues that we of the old school hold to be sacred. Check our Rants and Raves page where we blow off some steam about things that really bug us about the computer industry.
We refused to take those shortcuts. As a result, we will have no real problems until the year 2031.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2031, please check with us for your no-charge fix for the Y2031 problem. :-)
Seriously, there may be a few areas where you might notice this change of the millenium. Certain reports that when sorted by, for example, the year of the vehicle, may produce an odd effect. While you would expect to see your 98's then your 99's and then your 00's, you will see the 00's first, then the 98's and finally the 99's. We do not see this as a problem. However, we believe we have a fix for this effect. Since it is highly unlikely that you will ever store a vehicle with a model year of 1931 or before, our program will assume that if the year is between 00 and 31, that it is a 2nd millenium vehicle.
Rest assured that in all areas of consequence, you will not have any problems with DATOW Software after Jan. 1, 2000. By this we mean that Accounts Receivable aging, Lot Control storage calculations, Lien Sale date promulgations and other important areas such as these are going to function just fine come New Year's Day. Enjoy the bowl games, nurse your hangover, or whatever else you usually do on the morning after!
Of course, we are human beings, too. So it is possible that something might have escaped our attention. As always, DATOW Software stands behind our products and we will be available to you on that day. Aren't we always available to you 24-7?
There are some simple tests that you can perform to make sure that your computer can handle the change to 2000. The first is to simply change the date to 12/31/99 and set the time to 23:59. Then wait a few minutes and check to see what date the computer thinks it is. Also, try this same test, but shutdown and powerdown the computer to see if it can roll-over on its own without power. Even if both of these tests fail, all is not lost. Simply set the date to 01-01-2000 (not just 00) and see if it takes. If so, then it simply means that you will have to manually change the date on Jan 1, 2000. And you might have to do this every 1000 years.
If that final test fails, then you are probably looking at replacing your computer's BIOS. With today's prices being what they are, you will probably be better off replacing the computer. Just as an interesting note, we have not yet found a machine that will not handle Y2K. Even our good old DMV BBS computer, which has been running continuously since 1986, passed the above tests. (Those old Kaypros were really built to last. Too bad the management wasn't as good as the computers they made.)
01-01-2000:
Y2K Update: We have found a small problem with our A/R related to the Y2K issue. When you enter a payment, no matter what the date of the payment, if the computer thinks it is the year 2000, pressing F2 at the top portion of the payment screen will go to the date field again instead of going to the lower portion of the screen where you would apply your payment. This is because the program is checking to make sure the date of the payment is either this year, last year or next year, so that you do not accidentally enter a bogus date. (We all get fat-fingered at times). We have come up with a fix (actually a version we have used here in house for nearly a year) which is free to download IF you have version 4.01. However, even if you have a prior version, you can do a work-around, which is to change the system date to 1999, and then use the real date of the payment. Just remember to change the system date back when you are done with a payment session. Exit to the DOS prompt and use the command DATE to change the date back to 2000.
Your other option is to purchase an update, but you do not have to purchase the update...you can simply use the workaround.
If you have version 4.01, and have not yet picked up the fix, contact us and we will email it to you along with instructions or you can download it using the link below. If you are using our newer version 4.51, the fix is already there so there is nothing for you to do!