| Microsoft Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure
& Resource Center |
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| Windows Operating System Interactions
with BIOS and Real Time Clock |
| 13.
Glossary
Application: A program designed to perform a specific
function for the user or for another application program. For
example, word processing applications and database programs.
Applications use the services of the computer's operating system and
other supporting programs.
API: Application program interface. A method used to
communicate a request to a computer operating system or another
application.
BIOS: Basic input/output system. The BIOS firmware in a
personal computer (PC) interfaces directly with the hardware to
perform input/output and other low-level functions.
Boot process: The first part of the BIOS firmware program.
It starts Power On Self-Test (POST), clears the memory, sets up
input/output devices, and loads the operating system from the hard
disk or ROM.
Century register: Stores the first two digits of the
4-digit year. It reads either "19" in 1999 or "20" in 2000 and is
not updated automatically.
Date information: Chronological time information
represented as days (DD), months (MM), years (YY), and century
(CC).
Firmware: Programming that is inserted into read-only
memory chips.
Operating system: Software that manages the physical and
logical resources of the computer. The operating system software
includes file management, process scheduling, and device
interfacing.
POST: Power On Self Test. When the computer is turned on,
POST routines instruct the CPU to initialize the memory and
ultimately the entire system. POST inventories and tests system
components, after which the boot process loads the operating system.
RTC: Real Time Clock. An RTC is a battery-powered clock
that is included as part of a microchip in the computer hardware. It
stores system description or setup values û including values for the
year, month, date, hour, minutes, and seconds.
ROM: Read only memory. Memory contents that can be read
but not altered without special programming devices. (Often referred
to as firmware.)
System time: The time used within the operating system or
applications. This may be different than the time presented by the
PC's Real Time Clock and BIOS.
Time synchronization service: A program used to
synchronize system time with an external time source such as another
computer or an atomic clock.
⌐ YEAR 2000 READINESS DISCLOSURE
ALL COMMUNICATIONS OR CONVEYANCES OF INFORMATION TO YOU
CONCERNING MICROSOFT AND THE YEAR 2000, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
THIS DOCUMENT OR ANY OTHER PAST, PRESENT OR FUTURE INFORMATION
REGARDING YEAR 2000 TESTING, ASSESSMENTS, READINESS, TIME TABLES,
OBJECTIVES, OR OTHER (COLLECTIVELY THE "MICROSOFT YEAR 2000
STATEMENT"), ARE PROVIDED AS A "YEAR 2000 READINESS
DISCLOSURE" (AS DEFINED BY THE YEAR 2000 INFORMATION AND
READINESS DISCLOSURE ACT) AND CAN BE FOUND AT MICROSOFT'S YEAR 2000
WEBSITE LOCATED AT http://www.microsoft.com/year2000/
(the "Y2K WEBSITE"). EACH MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT IS PROVIDED
PURSUANT TO THE TERMS HEREOF, THE TERMS OF THE Y2K WEBSITE, AND THE
YEAR 2000 INFORMATION AND READINESS DISCLOSURE ACT FOR THE SOLE
PURPOSE OF ASSISTING THE PLANNING FOR THE TRANSITION TO THE YEAR
2000. EACH MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AND IS UPDATED REGULARLY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
MICROSOFT THEREFORE RECOMMENDS THAT YOU CHECK THE Y2K WEBSITE
REGULARLY FOR ANY CHANGES TO ANY MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT.
EACH MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT
WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. CONSEQUENTLY, MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL
WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. MOREOVER,
MICROSOFT DOES NOT WARRANT OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE
USE OR THE RESULTS OF THE USE OF ANY MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT
IN TERMS OF ITS CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. NO
ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY MICROSOFT OR ITS
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES SHALL CREATE A WARRANTY OR IN ANY WAY
DECREASE THE SCOPE OF THIS WARRANTY DISCLAIMER. IN NO EVENT SHALL
MICROSOFT OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER
REGARDING ANY MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT INCLUDING DIRECT,
INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS,
PUNITIVE OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE
BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO
NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL
OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO
YOU. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN EACH MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT
IS FOUND AT THE Y2K WEBSITE AND IS INTENDED TO BE READ IN
CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER INFORMATION LOCATED AT THE Y2K WEBSITE,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO MICROSOFT'S YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE
STATEMENT, THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CATEGORIES OF COMPLIANCE INTO
WHICH MICROSOFT HAS CLASSIFIED ITS PRODUCTS IN ITS YEAR 2000 PRODUCT
GUIDE, AND THE MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 TEST CRITERIA.
ANY MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENTS MADE TO YOU IN THE COURSE OF
PROVIDING YEAR 2000 RELATED UPDATES, YEAR 2000 DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS, OR
REMEDIATION SERVICES (IF ANY) ARE SUBJECT TO THE YEAR 2000
INFORMATION AND READINESS DISCLOSURE ACT (112 STAT. 2386). IN CASE
OF A DISPUTE, THIS ACT MAY REDUCE YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS REGARDING THE
USE OF ANY SUCH STATEMENTS, UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED BY YOUR
CONTRACT OR TARIFF.
Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, and MS-DOS are registered
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Other product or company names mentioned herein may be the
trademarks of their respective owners.
Microsoft Corporation ò One Microsoft Way ò Redmond, WA
98052-6399 ò USA
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