The Y2k Problem


	 Two main questions I hope to answer in doing this research are:  What is the Y2k 
problem? and How will it affect "you" or "me" as a computer user and as a person in society?
	Y2k refers to the year 2000 and is the name coined by computer industry for upcoming
problems that computers will face when the year changes from 1999 tothe year 2000.  It is also 
called the millenium bug (J.R. Whipple, n.d.).
	There are three main parts the Y2k problem.  The use of date codes to provide special 
functions for software.  The year 2000 is not recognized as a leap year by some systems and 
the use of only two digits to represent a four digit year.
	Software developers sometimes use date fields to provide special functionality.  The 
most common date used was 9/9/99.  In some applications the use of the special date meant
"save this date item forever," or "remove this date item automatically after 30 days," or 
sort this data item to the top of the report."  The main reason that no single tool can 
locate all uses of date data is that each organization use special date codes differently 
(Microsoft, n.d.).
	Since the year 2000 is a special leap year that only happpens once every 400 years 
some systems and software may not recognize it as leap year (Microsoft, n.d.).  This would 
make dates in computers offset one day after February 28, 2000. 
	The most common of the Y2k issues is when software has been written to store and
manipulate date data using only the last two digits for the year(using 99 instead of 1999).
The main reason for using on last two digits for the date was because during the 1960's the 
price of memory was so expansive that every digit saved was a valuable spot for other informa-
tion.  This habit of space saving was carried on till the early 1990's.  In the year 2000 
calculations based upon two digit dates may not execute properly becuase the software sees 
the date as 00 or 1900 rather than 2000 (Microsoft, n.d.).
	Since computers are used and in nearly every field of business and by people around 
the world this problem will affect just about every one.  And for those people who think it
won't affect them should think again.  Every electronic device from cell phones to ATM
machines, traffic lights to elevators, and the list just goes on and on (J.R.whipple, n.d.).
If a person receives social security from the government after the year 2000 they may not get 
it if the computer figures their age to to be in the negatives(instead of 2000-their date of 
birth it would be 1900-ther date of birth) (J.R. Whipple, n.d.).
	The Y2k problem is a global problem that in some way affects everyone on the planet and
there is not a day that goes by that you can not pick up the paper and read something on the 
Y2k issue.  The issue is so broad and hard to focus on, so I will try to focus on a few world,
national, and local issues.
		In Singapore, the airlines may be suspending flights on certain routes on New 
Year's Eve and New Year's Day, as part of its Y2K Contingency plans. Some services scheduled for 
Dec. 31 or Jan 1 would be cancelled, while others, re-timed ("Singapore...", 1999).  The airline 
will make final decisions in October.  No aircraft will be flying the affected zones durring the
few hours before and after midnight on Dec 31.  This applies to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), 
which is used by many aviation systems, and midnight local time in each affected zone.
Poland's National Airline said last month it would ground all its planes on Jan 1 to avoid Y2K 
problems, while Vietnam Airlines and a British regional carrier has cancelled all its flights 
just before the start of the New Year ("Singapore...", 1999).
	The federal government, institutions, and businesses are taking this problem vary 
seriously.  Microsoft has issued a proactive plan to contact an estimated 60 million customers
and raise awareness about the year 2000 issues.  The company sent out an initial notice via 
emailto about 1 million customers  in the U.S. in July and another 21 million were scheduled 
worldwidein the following weeks ("Microsoft...",1999).  Microsoft will also send out a similar 
message through direct mail.  Their message is that "sooner is better than later" in preparing 
to meet the challanges of Y2k.
	An "Information Coordinating Center" is being planned by the federal government to 
monitor its rollover to the next century ("US..", 1999).  The center will be ready to go 
before the first of the Y2k problems which will strike on September 9 and it will remain open 
through the leap year date of Februaury 29.  Koskinen, head of the President's Council on Year 
2000, said that federal mission critical systems would be Y2k compliant and believes any 
repercussions of the Y2k issues should subside two weeks into January 2000 ("US...", n.d.). 
The Y2k problem will cost an estimated 30 billion dollars for the federal government alone 
(US Government, n.d.).
	The local level is just as broad as the world or national.  Most local businesses have a
"Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure" or a somestatement on how they are dealing with the issues.  
Since the Y2k affects such a broad array I have chosen two Maine businesses to explore there 
needs and progress towards the "millenium bug."
	Central Maine Power started work on the Y2k issue in August 1996, and recently reported 
full "mission-critical" readiness to the North American Electric Reliability Council(CMP, n.d.).
NERC reported better than 99 percent industry readiness as of June 30, 1999 (CMP n.d.).  	
	Like other businesses, they rely on computers for correspondence, accounting, customer
-account databases, voice mail, e-mail, system monitoring, and other functions. But unlike most 
other businesses, electric utilities supply a vital product that customers expect to be 
instantaniously available 24 hours a day. Y2K issues involve every area of CMP's business, so 
CMP developed a broad-based comprehensive Y2K plan. These areas tasks like energy management and 
communications systems, substation controls, system protection and distribution, and business
information systems.  CMP has developed contingency plans for the date change that include 
extra staffing at critical substations, operations centers, and other key locations.
Different forms of Y2K problems can appear in different ways in equipment, in operating 
systems, and in specific programs. CMP estimates the cost at $4.1 million. As for Jan. 1, 2,000,
CMP expects that ice, falling tree limbs, and skidding cars are more likely threats to your 
electricity service than a Y2K problem (CMP, n.d.).
	York County Teachers Federal Credit Union is in the final phases of there Year
2,000 plan.  They have been giving Y2K top priority for the past 2 years in order to ensure
compliance with federal regulations (YCTFCU (2), n.d.).  Credit unions must place great 
emphasis on making sure thier systems are ready.
	YCTFCU uses computer systems to perform financial calculations, track deposits and 
loan payments, transfer funds, make direct deposits, and provide other services.  Computer 
software and computer chips are also used to run security systems, vaults, communications 
networks, and other essential equipment (YCTFCU (1), n.d.).
	The Credit Union is required to keep backup records for account transactions so
they can recover this information incase of an emergency.  Those backup records could
be used to correct errors that might affect your share, loan, or other account due to 
a year 2,000 computer problem.  In anticipation of the need for extra cash, the Federal 
Reserve Bank has increased the currency supply for financial institutions (YCTFCU (1), n.d.).
	An Estimate of 180 billion lines of COBOL code worldwide will be affected by the date
change (CNET, n.d.).  COBOL is only one of the major languages that will have to be repaired.  
	
	So it's a programming problem, but it can be solved easily enough: just
	put an additional five or six hundred thousand COBOL programmers to work 
	over the next few years, by some calculations.  The most conservative
	cost estimates for correcting the problem start at $200 billion over the 
	next three years--and the that's to reprogram the software we know about.
	The Gartner Group estimates that the cost may climb past half a trillion 
	dollars (CNET, n.d.).

High-end programmers will have plenty of work and fortunes will be made by companies who
specialize in fixing the "millenium bug."  No one can really predict the final outcome of
of 01/01/2000 so we will just have to wait and hope.



Works Cited


Central Maine Power Company.  "Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure."  Online Source.
	http://www.cmpco.com/aboutCMP/y2k/ 8/11/99
CNET.  "Apocalypse Avoided." Online Source.
	http://www.cnet.com/Content/Features/Dlife/Apocalypse/ss01b.html
J.R. Whipple & Associates.  "What is Y2k?"  Online Source.  
	http://www.jrwhipple.com/year2000/whatsy2k.html  8/11/99
Microsoft.  "Microsoft Year 2000 Frequently Asked Questions."  Online Source.
	http://www.microsoft.com/technet/year2k/2kfaq/2kfaq02.htm 8/11/99
"Microsoft Launching Push to Fix Y2k."  Online Source.
	http://www.everything2000.com/news/computer/microsofty2ksite.asp 8/11/99
"Singapore May Suspend New Year's Eve Flights."  Online Source.
	http://www.everything2000.com/news/news/singaporemaysuspend.asp 8/11/99
State of Maine.  "State of Maine's June 1999 Year 2000 Status Report."  Online Source.
	http://janus.state.me.us/bis/y2k/y2kjun99.htm
US Government. "US Federal Government Year 2000 Survey."  Online Source.
	http://www.year2000.com/archive/survey.html
"US Will Issue Y2k Warning."  Online Source.
	http://www.everything2000.com/news/computer/uswillissue.asp 8/11/99
York County Teachers Federal Credit Union (1).  "Year 2000 FAQ."  Online Source.
	http://www.yorkcountytfcu.com/y2k_faq.html 8/11/99
York County Teachers Federal Credit Union (2). "Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure."  Online Source.
	http://www.yorkcountytfcu.com/y2k_disclosure.html 8/11/99



Stay Up-to-Date with Year 2000

For those who wish to remain up to date on Y2K issues in general, the Federal Government has 
provided the public with an informational service center.  The number to call is 1-888-USA-4Y2K 
(1-888-872-4925).  This service provides updates for the following catagories:







Year 2000 Links