Problems with "long format" timezone strings and Starlan

[Tony Walton]

I have recently found a problem with the AT&T Starlan DOS Server program
when "long format" TZ strings are used.  The TZ string in question was
"GMT-1BST;85/02,302/03" (the setting for 1989 in the UK).  When the DOS
server (/usr/net/servers/msnet/msnetfs) was started, it immediately dumped
core and dropped the network connection - the server reported a NET805 error
(network has gone down).


The TZ strings "GMT" and "GMT0BST" did not cause ths problem, which is
seen with Release 3.1 and Release 3.2a of the DOS server.

I presume somebody, somewhere, has only reserved a 9-byte buffer for TZ
(for a string such as "ZZZ-11DDD") and something is being over-written.

The correct people at AT&T are already aware of the problem, but I'm posting
this to warn anybody else out there who's using "long format" TZ.
-- 
Tony Walton, AT&T Division, British Olivetti Ltd., Wellington House,
154-160 Upper Richmond Road, London, England SW15 2FN
LONDON, SW15 2FN.  Tel: (+44) 1 789 6699 Telefax: (+44) 1 785 6670 Telex:27258
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