[HECnet] Another date limit?

[Paul Koning]

In the Phase IV network management spec the description of the encoding of the event log message has this field:

                           JULIAN HALF DAY (2) :  B  Number  of  half  days
                                                     since  1  Jan 1977 and
                                                     before  9   Nov   2021
                                                     (0-32767).         For
                                                     example,  the  morning
                                                     of Jan 1, 1977 is 0.

It's a 16 bit field containing a 15 bit value; there is no explanation why the upper bit is not used even though it's marked as an unsigned integer.

As shown, the field overflows in late 2021.  If one ignores the arbitrary limit of 15 bits, the end date is 18 September 2066, which is more civilized.

I wonder if implementations ignore the 15 bit limit.  I think RSTS/E ignores it.

	paul