I received in the mail today a form from a vendor to return a package to them via RPS.

I swear my jaw hit the floor when I read..."Expires 6/28/1900"

Clearly, RPS' software didn't meltdown, but it is certainly spewing out bad data.

-- I'm (with@titude.now), July 02, 1999

Answers

i'm, maybe they were just running a little behind schedule.

better late then never smooch..

-- corrine (corrine@iwaynet.net), July 02, 1999.

Probably just a hard-coded piece of print code.

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), July 02, 1999.

Was it printed out by RPS ... or by the vendor?

Thanks,

Cheryl

-- Cheryl (Transplant@Oregon.com), July 02, 1999.

cheryl, it was on a clay tablet and thus hard to tell. by the way have you ever been to the silver ingot? i could swear we've met. as i recall you went to mt. holyoke for a semester.

-- corrne (corrine@iwaynet.net), July 02, 1999.

I'm,

Sounds like they are not yet compliant, but maybe Y2k *ready* just like the utilities. So, the fact that their software is now spitting out 1900 expiration dates doesn't stop them from doing their job. They know what the true date is (it's a mental exercise for them) and if anyone asks, they just say some computer operator made a mistake. They'll never tell you it was R2D2 itself that screwed it all up.

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), July 03, 1999.

Typical - it failed, but in this case, could be "overridden" by a human. Because nothing was automatically attached to the bad data. In any other case, where no thinking human could intervene.

A bureacrat (or a lawyer) would claim you didn't follow procedure and so are subject to fines and penalties.....

And a computer would not know any better and would have thrown the batch out.....

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), July 03, 1999.

But the problem could also be more severe:

When did it really "expire"? When was it "really" fabricated or produced? What is the "real" expiration life span?

You submitted this near June 30, 1999, right? Clearly, it could not have really "expired" in one day - unless this particular lot was made earlier than LAST year and was improperly marked to expire next year (June 28, 2000). In which case their program is in error and recalled it one year early.

BUT - in that case, you should NOT have gotton the recall notice at all - remember, they said the date was to expire "next year" - if we are right in assuming that it was June 28, 2000.

But what if it had a one year life, was made last year to expire June 28, 1999 - and was improperly marked, but properly being recalled?

So is this a real threat (a real recall) with a false label and real date, or a bad label and a bad date and a false recall, or a real recall that has been started by a real date but mismarked with a bad label.

So, do you throw it out, or use it anyway, or call the company?

And the economists claim Y2K has no economic impact..........hope nobody is hurt using bad chemicals or expired medicines. That have been labelled wrong....

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), July 03, 1999.

corrne,

i could swear we've met. as i recall you went to mt. holyoke for a semester.

Nope. Not me.

-- Cheryl (Transplant@Oregon.com), July 03, 1999.