I was thinking about something like this:

--- clock.c~	Thu Feb 13 07:17:15 1997
+++ clock.c	Tue Aug  4 08:18:21 1998
@@ -530,6 +530,14 @@
 	yr = hexdectodec(rtclk[MC_YEAR]);
 	yr = (yr < 70) ? yr+100 : yr;
 
+	/* is time_t a 4 byte quantity? */
+	if(sizeof(time_t) <= sizeof(int32_t)) {
+	  if(yr > 138) {
+	    printf("WARNING: signed time_t can not cope beyond 2038\n");
+	    yr = 138;
+	  }
+	}
+
 	n = sec + 60 * min + 3600 * hr;
 	n += (dom - 1) * 3600 * 24;
 

  It effectively "solves" the 2038 problem by stopping the clock on the next
boot. And it goes away when time_t becomes 64 bits.

   :!mcr!:            |  Network and security consulting/contract programming
   Michael Richardson |         Firewalls, TCP/IP and Unix administration
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	ON HUMILITY: To err is human, to moo bovine.