WE have an Oracle 7.3 database hosted on Windows NT.
In the initialization files we have mentioned the parameter
NLS_DATE_FORMAT = "dd-mon-yyyy"
The database and the instance was brought down and restarted.

On checking the v$parameter file it shows that the setting
for NLS_DATE_FORMAT = "dd-mon-yyyy".

When we execute "select sysdate from dual;" it returns the
sysdate in 2 digit year format. We fail to understand why.

Would be happy if some one could provide us with a solution for it.

NLS parameter on the server is overridden by the Registry entry in the
Windows client PC.
Use REGEDIT or REGEDT32 depending on windows95/98/NT , and add an entry
NLS_DATE_FORMAT in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE ->  SOFTWARE -> ORACLE . Then add the value dd-mon-yyyy.
This will override the server settings.
(Exact spellings and steps may not be correct, but this is essentially the
solution)

Umakanth
SYMBIOSIS International