Your example code was buggy, below corrected one:

<?php 

function parseDate($date,$format) {
    $dateString = date($format , strtotime($date));
    return $dateString;
}

$db_birth_date = "1969-09-13 00:00:00";
$birth_date = parseDate($db_birth_date,"F j, Y");
echo $birth_date;

?>

And this works just like it should (in Linux)..
Please try this and report back.

--Jani

User feedback:
---------------------------
I was actually contacted on this issue once, and sent a corrected reply as
follows. Keep in mind, this issue only occurs in _Windows_ versions of PHP
including PHP 4.0.1pl2 and 4.0.2. UNIX varients do not seem effected.:

I've written a specific script to show this issue:

--- cut ---
<?php
    for ( $i = 1900; $i < 2050; $i++) {
        $datep = "$i-01-01";
        print "Trying: $datep ... ";
        print date("F j, Y", strtotime($datep));
        print "<BR>"; // For clean display sake only
    }
?>
--- cut ---

I also tested this with dates in 12-31, and 1969 failed, so 1970-01-01 is
the lowest possible date:

--- cut ---
Trying: 1900-01-01 ...
Warning: unexpected error in date() in d:\fhirsch\mysite\testdate.php on
line 6

Trying: 1901-01-01 ...
Warning: unexpected error in date() in d:\fhirsch\mysite\testdate.php on
line 6

Trying: 1902-01-01 ...
Warning: unexpected error in date() in d:\fhirsch\mysite\testdate.php on
line 6
.
.
.
Trying: 1969-01-01 ...
Warning: unexpected error in date() in d:\fhirsch\mysite\testdate.php on
line 6

Trying: 1970-01-01 ... January 1, 1970
Trying: 1971-01-01 ... January 1, 1971
Trying: 1972-01-01 ... January 1, 1972
Trying: 1973-01-01 ... January 1, 1973
Trying: 1974-01-01 
.
.
.
Trying: 2038-01-01 ... January 1, 2038
Trying: 2039-01-01 ...
Warning: unexpected error in date() in d:\fhirsch\mysite\testdate.php on
line 6

Trying: 2040-01-01 ...
Warning: unexpected error in date() in d:\fhirsch\mysite\testdate.php on
line 6
... January 1, 1974
--- cut ---

It seems likely that the date() function uses internal calls within the O/S
somehow on Windows, as this would correlate to what Windows/MSDOS is
(in)capable of doing. However, it hardly seems to be a desirable side-effect
in a production quality programming language. Anyhow, let me know if there
is other documentation you need from me.

---------------------------------------

Editorial note: PLEASE answer next time using the 
web-interface.. =)

--Jani

reclassified..

could you plese try the dev build from php4win.de and report wheter this is fixed?

No feedback.

This condition still exists in 4.1.2
I'm using Win2K Advanced Server with uptodate patchs (as of 1-April-2002). Tested with snipers test loop.

Trying: 1970-01-01 ... 
Warning: unexpected error in date() in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\entry_exam\testdate.php on line 5

Trying: 1971-01-01 ... January 1, 1971
Trying: 1972-01-01 ... January 1, 1972

.
.
.

Trying: 2038-01-01 ... January 1, 2038
Trying: 2039-01-01 ... 
Warning: unexpected error in date() in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\entry_exam\testdate.php on line 5