Bill Gates saw the end of the world and built it into computers....

[Sky Llama]

Have you ever wondered why Windows XP, Vista and 7 can only recognise dates up to 2099? He knew the world would end in 2099...

It seams so obvious.

[LAGC]

1. What's more scary is to consider that some people might still be running those operating systems...

...come the turn of the 22nd Century.

Some people love their legacy applications, and hate how invasive newer versions of operating systems are becoming...

[Taverner]

2. There is always virtualization...or in the future, paravirtualization

[Motown_Johnny]

3. are we honestly talking about a Y2.1K bug?

[Sky Llama]

5. No...

Not a bug, the Calendar for these OS's simply ends in 2099. They can not give a proper date after that no matter what.

[Sky Llama]

4. You've got a good point...

By that point Windows XP would have to be patched to the point little or none of the original existed.

I use Linux so I'm all good.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. All 64 bit OS and software? Or any 32 bit programs left?

If you have any of the latter, you may be vulnerable to the 2038 problem.

[KeepItReal]

7. Oracle databases' applications end of time was 31-DEC-4712

:-)