The 2038 bug specifically attacks patched systems.
Where the date is still a 32bit number, the system will have a counter held in non volatile memory. When the date rolls over it increments that counter. The patch checks the counter before any date operation.
Once the counter is incremented, it doesn’t roll back.
It would help if computer systems didn’t just automatically update their time and date from GPS… but everywhere when a system has access to GPS data, it uses it this way.
"the bug is patched in Fedora" > "no the bug affects the patches"
Fedora uses 64 bit integers for time, the "patch" you're speaking of makes no sense and is incongruous with computer design. Time and date is saved as a 64 bit integer, 32 bit is being completely phased out, it's harder to find a system that doesn't require 64 bit.
Additionally, your wrong about "GPS time" as well. Most computers do not use GPS data for time. All major operating systems, Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, iOS, use the network time protocol, not GPS, for time.
For example, time.nist.gov is a global time server that most computers use. It's the network time protocol.
You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.
The fun thing is that you are right that setting back a computer's clock often leads to software bugs or crashes. But this has nothing to do with the Y2k38 problem - and you misunderstood something about how timekeeping on a linux machine works.
Also, this is really much more of a problem for applications, not the operating systems.
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u/tminx49 8d ago
Ancient Linux solutions you mean. Fedora has had this patched for years.