# Bug in rails-1.2.3(number.years.ago)

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/bug-in-rails-1-2-3-number-years-ago/148591>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [September 15, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/bug-in-rails-1-2-3-number-years-ago/148591 "2008-09-15T11:54:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mokkai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mokkai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mokkai)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/bug-in-rails-1-2-3-number-years-ago/148591/1 "2008-09-15T11:54:51Z")

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30.years.ago -\> ok  
40.years.ago -\> error  
is it bug?

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**Author:** ![mokkai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mokkai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mokkai)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 11:56am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/bug-in-rails-1-2-3-number-years-ago/148591/2 "2008-09-15T11:56:54Z")

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On 15 Sep 2008, at 10:54, Pokkai D. wrote:

> 30.years.ago -\> ok  
> 40.years.ago -\> error  
> is it bug?

It’s because instance of Time on your machine can’t represent dates  
before 1970

Fred

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**Author:** ![mokkai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mokkai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mokkai)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 1:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/bug-in-rails-1-2-3-number-years-ago/148591/3 "2008-09-15T13:45:02Z")

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I’m surprised by this. Rails is usually smart enough to convert to  
DateTime  
where needed in these ActiveSupport time converting scenarios. From my  
irb…

sneaky:~ rsl$ irb

> ActiveSupport

# =\> ActiveSupport # Just to point out AS is loaded here

> Time.now.class

# =\> Time

> 10.years.ago.class

# =\> Time

> 100.years.ago.class

# =\> Time

> 1000.years.ago.class

# =\> DateTime

What version Rails are you using?

RSL

On Mon, Sep 15, 2008 at 5:55 AM, Frederick C. \<

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**Author:** ![mokkai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mokkai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mokkai)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 6:39am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/bug-in-rails-1-2-3-number-years-ago/148591/4 "2008-09-16T06:39:30Z")

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RSL \_\_\_ wrote:

> What version Rails are you using?
> 
> On Mon, Sep 15, 2008 at 5:55 AM, Frederick C. \<

my os -windows-xp :: rails version 1.2.3