The Y2K Problem Report
Y2K, the Year 2000, it is the next Millennium which actually begins on January 1, 2001. This date is from the Gregorian calendar based on the Roman one, which numerals do not include the number 0 (zero). Additionally, no one can say for sure when the true next true Millennium occurs since there is leap year, and due to the question of when Jesus' birth actually occured, and other inconsistancies. For all intense purposes, in spite of scientists, historians and astronomers, the new Millennium occurs on January 1, 2000 (or December 31, 1999 at midnight). It is the date that all will celebrate like no other for another thousand years, it is the date which we recognize the end of the 1900's, and it is the date which all computer are set to which will, in this day and age which regulates our lives, changes in the technological system may be effected.
The computer problem: Computer programs were originally written in a language called Cobol back in the 19950s. When the engineers were designing the government computer systems, they used only 2-digits for the year, 55, 56, 57, instead of 1955, 1956, 1957, etc., etc. The problem they did not think about is that in the year 2000, the computers would then read the date as 00. If someone born in the year 1928 is now a senior citzen and collecting Social Security checks, will not get their checks on January 1, 2000 becuase the computer will think the year is 1900, and the person born in 1928 is techically born yet, so they will not get a check. We are not saying this will be the case in the United States Goverment or any other, it is simply to serve as an example. Quite frankly, no one really knows if this will happen, but the fact is that the US Government computers are the oldest in the world, they were built first, and we just hope that they updated their system accordingly. The problem is, that some of the only ones that can fix this problem, are the original engineers who can program in Cobol which is no longer used, and the engineers themselves are are either dead or retired. Many have come out of retirement to help with this problem, but they started too late. Everyone who uses the computer have been trying feverishly to make sure their computer systems are updated and Y2K compliant. But no matter what, there are hundreds of millions of computers operating power plants, water and sewage facilities and power plants. Even if 99.9% of all computer systems are made Y2K compliant, that other .01% could be millions of computer that may still fail. Rather than plan on mass hysteria, survivalist stockpiling water, guns and canned food, we will try to give a realistic snse of what may happen, how to prepare for it and even still, we will give you a best and worst case scenario in this special section of TIGERX.COM.
Dateline Y2K: Who Will Celebrate First
Time Zone 1 Kirabati/Chatham Islands (New Zealand) (The first inhabited island to enter Y2K in the South Pacific)
The Celebration
The Concerns
The Computer Situation
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