> ...the Unix time counter overflows the limits of the 32-bit integer data type (at 2,147,483,647 seconds). Time will just rollover to 0 and start again.NO IT WON'T. The integer is SIGNED, meaning the "time" will jump to the negative limit of the 32-bit two's-complement, which is roughly the evening of Dec 13, 1901. It won't be Jan 1, 1970 for another 69 years.
Right?
It wouldn't roll over to zero unless they were using unsigned, and that wouldn't roll over (for 32 bits) until 4 billion ticks and change.
On 30 April 2015, the Federal Aviation Authority announced it will order Boeing 787 operators to reset its electrical system periodically, to avoid an integer overflow which could lead to loss of electrical power and ram air turbine deployment, and Boeing is going to deploy a software update in the fourth quarter.[11] The European Aviation Safety Agency followed on 4 May 2015.[12] The error happens after 2³¹ centiseconds (248.55134814815 days), indicating a 32 bit signed integer.11. "F.A.A. Orders Fix for Possible Power Loss in Boeing 787". New York Times. 30 April 2015.
That's every 8 months! On a brand new aircraft! You'd think the flight software guys would be aware of simple problems like this by now. "Captain, when did we last reboot the flight computers?"