Philips challenges Compaq compliance

Speculation over the year 2000 compliance of Compaq hardware has pushed electronics giant Philips to demand a solution from the manufacturer.

PC Dealer has learned senior Philips executives in Holland have been warned that their systems might require real time clock (RTC) millennium compliance, which Compaq has described as unnecessary. Philips executives now want Compaq to come up with an assurance of compliance for the 90,000 PCs covered by its service agreement.

Compaq hardware is subject to an inquiry by the Advertising Standards Authority after complaints from test and diagnostic company Prove It 2000 that the manufacturer uses a hardware test that ignores the RTC (PC Dealer, 27 May).

A senior Philips executive in Holland told PC Dealer: 'I can't know if somewhere there is an application on our PCs where the RTC is used.

It might be critical or vital.'

Philips has a desktop and network service agreement with Compaq and Dell covering all brands.

The source said: 'Compaq promised us that it would deliver compliant PCs. If it can't convince us it isn't a problem, we have made a wrong product decision. Then Compaq has a problem and we have a repair claim.'

It was understood that Philips staff responsible for the company's year 2000 project had contacted Compaq for assurance and alerted their management team to their concerns.

In Texas, where Compaq is based, the tax administrating State Comptroller's Office has studied the RTC issue and is alerting other state departments.

See news analysis page 20.