Some people are reacting as if it’s the second coming of Y2K. Others are barely breaking a sweat. The truth about this year’s daylight-saving time issue is probably somewhere in the middle.

Haven’t heard? Thanks to a 2005 act of Congress, daylight-saving time starts three weeks early this year, on March 11. The question is whether all of our computer-based clocks are set up to adjust for the earlier “spring ahead” date. Those that aren’t might cause us some headaches and inconveniences.  “It’s not a doomsday scenario,” Getronics’ John Pironti told the San Francisco Chronicle, “it’s a discomfort scenario.”

The good news: Vista, Microsoft’s new operating system, automatically takes the change into account, and updates are available for Windows XP to correct the problem. Older operating systems might experience some troubles, though.

What do you need to do to update your computers? Check out this handy MS help and support center, which features a wizard-like tool that helps you determine where you stand.