Computer Articles: Y2K: A Major Disaster???

Is the Y2K, or Year 2000, bug really such a disaster that it will literally end the world? First, what is the Y2K bug? The Y2K bug is a computer problem in which the computer's hardware and software either cannot read years beyond 1999 or display the year 00 (mm/dd/00) as 1900 instead of 2000; this bug was reported by the media to be prominent in the computers of many organizations. The Y2K bug is believed by many to cause major chaos in the computers around the world and cause major disasters such as delayed flights, energy companies shutting down, and stock market crashes. Many claustrophobic people and extremists might say yes to the above question; however, the normal person with logical reasoning should not agree. On the contrary, the Y2K is really not as foreboding as it seems. The Y2K bug will probably not cause banks to crash, trigger a national power outage, and terminate airline transportation.

The Y2K bug will probably not cause banks to shut down as supposed by some people. Originally, this problem did exist about three or four years ago when banks had not prepared for the Y2K bug. The Y2K bug would have affected banks in the fact that the bug would have caused checks not to be issued to people at all because of the 00 date problem which causes 00 to be read as 1900; also, it might have forced the computers to shut down altogether. However, at the present, many banks assure their customers that they have either made their existing computers Y2K compatible or upgraded their existing computers. Also, federal law requires that the bank computers be updated so probably none of the computers are obsolete. Therefore, banks will probably not shut down completely as some people suppose.

The Y2K bug will probably not trigger a national power outage as supposed by some claustrophobic, overly paranoid people. Another problem posed by the Y2K bug back in the years 1995-1996 was the possibility of the power plant computers nationwide shutting down because of the bug and causing a mass power outage throughout the nation. At the present, this problem does not seem to be as much of a major problem as much as it was back in 1995-1996. Many power plants have made many of their computers Y2K compatible; and the computers may have been upgraded. Even if the power plant computers do shut down and cause a power outage, the power plant staff will settle the Y2K problem as soon as possible since electricity is a necessity; thus the outage will last for a short period of time. Also, the problem will probably only happen in a few power plants so the power outage will probably not be nationwide. Therefore, there will probably not be a national power outage as some claustrophobic, overly paranoid people suppose.

The Y2K bug will probably not terminate airline transportation as supposed by some extremists. Originally, this problem was a reality back in 1995-1996; it was said that the bug could cause airlines to delay flights or cause the airline computers to crash. Although this problem has not been totally resolved, it is nonetheless a minor problem. Many airlines are currently making their computers Y2K compatible or upgrading their computers; also, if the airline computers do crash or cause problems, the airline may delay all flights for that day until the problem is dealt with. The Y2K problem does not usually take more than a short period of time to resolve. However, this Y2K bug may be a problem for tourists from foreign countries who have visas; the visas may expire before the airline's Y2K problem is apprehended. So, as a precaution, one should not book an airline trip in the year 2000 unless he is certain that the airline has no Y2K problems. However, the most of the airline's Y2K problems may be resolved in a short period of time. Therefore, airline transportation will not be totally diminished by the Y2K bug as some extremists suggest.

In conclusion, therefore, the Y2K bug will probably not result in bank crashes, national power outages, and diminishing airline transportation. With this in mind, one should not go about storing a year's supply of food in his house as many paranoid people; nor should one go about posting "It's the end of the world!" signs everywhere. The Y2K is not the end of the world; in fact, its effects will last for only a little while. The Y2K should be treated as a problem that can be solved and remedied through the hard work of programmers, not as a grave natural disaster.

Send all comments, corrections, or insults(flames, etc.) to tknetace@saipan.com.

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