Y2K - No PROBLEM?

- Organization:
- Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration
- Pages:
- 6
- File Size:
- 1810 KB
- Publication Date:
- Jan 1, 1999
Abstract
The Y2K or "Millenium" bug is a tiny critter, comprising no more than two digits in a date field. This bug, like its' more lethal cousins of biological and computer virus fame, has the potential to derail the economy of the U.S. and the rest of world. Whatever the reader's perception, rest assured that you will be affected by Y2K along with every person in the civilized world.
How did we get to this position? It is really quite simple. The Y2K problem is a creation of computer programmers who, in an effort to conserve valuable memory in the early days of computer development, used two digits as shorthand- to define the year in date sensitive applications. Instead of typing in "1982," our experts employed "82." They believed-correctlythat the problem of limited memory would be solved by technology and assumed (nasty word) that software would be modified to take care of any problems associated with a date rollover in the year 2000. Their assumption resulted in the problem facing us today.
Citation
APA:
(1999) Y2K - No PROBLEM?MLA: Y2K - No PROBLEM? . Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, 1999.