Springing forward faster this year

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

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The time updates or patches can be downloaded for free on most operating system's web sites. (Slideshow)

An extra hour of sunlight could cost people more than the few seconds it takes to turn back their clocks.

It could mean a missed meeting or doctor's appointment.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 moves this year's Daylight Savings Time ahead to the second Sunday in March instead of the traditional first Sunday in April.

But many computers don't understand that.

"This was not programmed into the older operating systems," said Anthony Newman of Ntelligent Networks, Inc., in Lakeland.

Most Microsoft operating systems, besides the newly launched Windows Vista, have to be manually updated. If they're not, calendar or scheduling programs will likely be off during the three -week period.

"We have to start a proactive response now with our clients," Newman said.

Time Change Coming

Newman said businesses should prepare now for the early onset of Daylight Savings Time.

"It is going to affect their computers," Newman said. "Some people more drastically than others."

With hundreds of appointments scheduled each week, places such as medical or driver's license offices could be the hardest hit if they don't act fast.

Smaller businesses should also take notice.

"Attorneys that have court dates and people that have critical time lines they have to meet," Newman said.

Newman said the earlier time change was not programmed into older operating systems.

The time updates or patches can be downloaded for free on most operating system's web sites.

But between March 11 and April 1, computer experts warn people to use caution and not rely solely on their computers to tell them when that important meeting starts.

While it may sound like another Y-2-K scare, experts said the early onset of Daylight Savings Time is shaping up to be more of an annoyance to computer users than a serious problem.

Lawmakers said Daylight Savings Time was bumped up three weeks to help the nation conserve energy.

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