Essay, Research Paper

Why Y2K? & # 8212 ; In the twelvemonth 2000, people will be dancing, singing, partying, snoging each other & # 8230 ; and computing machines around the universe will close down, electricity workss will neglect, and fiscal establishments will travel belly up. Such is the Y2K crisis. & # 8212 ; Basically, the bug is this: Many of the computing machines used have a set clock that runs the old ages as two didgits & # 8230 ; like 1970 would be merely 70. When the twelvemonth 2000 hits, the redstem storksbills will merely register 00, but the computing machines, non programmed to understand 2000, will believe its 1900! This means that 1000000s of computing machines will go baffled, spew corrupted informations, or close down wholly. And with the construct that everything now is computerized, from desktop computing machines, sattelite communications, medical equipment, ATM machines, and even many modern vehicles. Although many companies have gotten off their pollexs and done something about it, its excessively late to repair everything ; intending that something will neglect on the twelvemonth 2000. And even if some computing machines ARE compliant, what about those computing machines that they contact or link to Via the cyberspace that are NOT compliant? They & # 8217 ; d merely be spiting in refuse the computing machine buzzword usage, and can may even sleep together up compliant computing machines every bit good. & # 8212 ; I know what your thought: & # 8220 ; Its non traveling to go on, person is traveling to do some & # 8220 ; inquire plan & # 8221 ; that will repair all the bugs & # 8221 ; Well allow me state you something & # 8230 ; There are over 500 scheduling linguistic communications, many in foreign linguistic communications. Other plans like BASIC and Cobol, are still being used, and those that know it are either Retired, Senile, or dead! In Some instances, the beginning codification no longer exists, which means the linguistic communication that some computing machines still use, can non be gotten into, and repaired. Lashkar-e-taibas non bury that there are Millions of lines of Code, that the coders have to travel into, happen each error, correct it, so prove it to do certain it dont clang. Harmonizing to coders, for every hr spent in happening and mending the computing machine codification, four hours are needed to prove it. I havent even gotten to the portion about modified day of the months ( MM/DD/YY, YY/DD/MM, etc ) * Lem me give you an illustration: The SSA started rectifying their Y2k job in 1991, delegating 400 full clip coders. By Mid 1996, the repaired and reveiwed six million lines of codification & # 8230 ; Which is merely 20 % of the entire! Now realize this: Many companies are merely Get downing! Some HAVEN & # 8217 ; T! & # 8212 ; And what about Embedded Chips? There are one million millions of embedded Chips in the universe, with their codifications burned into them. These 1s can non be repaired. They have to be either replaced, or in most instances, the whole unit has to be removed, and a new one put in its topographic point. This could run into clip, as bringing, arrangement, installing, and proving to do certain it works with the older equipment. Some french friess can non be recovered, do their either underwater, or in infinite. Many of our sattelites and communicating devices may be non-compliant. *An Example of this: A lady tested her Camcorder to see if it was compliant. She set the day of the month to 12/30/99 and waited for it to hit 1/1/00. When it did, It ejected the tape & # 8230 ; and stop dead. It would non travel, it went black, and nil worked! She had to hold it sent back to the company, to hold it replaced. MANY of our mundane points, like liquidizers, microwaves, TV & # 8217 ; s, VCR & # 8217 ; s and even parts of our newer autos may neglect in the twelvemonth 2000. & # 8212 ; What I want to cognize is & # 8230 ; if these Knee-jerk compu-nerds knew this was traveling to go on & # 8230 ; why didnt they try and fix it sooner! ? Were looking at a universe broad crisis, affecting lives, one million millions of money, and Society itself and these pocket-protecting dimbulbs merely sat at that place on there large, fat billfolds and likely program to shirk while & # 8220 ; Rome & # 8221 ; Burnss. & # 8212 ; Ok, so we cant fix it..what do we make? Well, there are four things we can make: Lodge your pollexs in your ears and sing aloud, and hope the job vanishes like yesterday & # 8217 ; s meat loaf. Imagine Bill Gates will make some progr

am that will fix everything, not realizing, he’s sitting in his mansion, sipping a pina colada, while lounging in his heated jacuzzi with the playmates from last year’s Playboy magazine, imagining the money he will make when he gets people to buy brand new computers AFTER the crisis. (little $$ signs in his eyes) Do what my brother suggests: Stuff all your money in a mayonaise jar, hike out into the woods and sit there with your gun waiting for the gunfire to start. Or prepare yourself and your community. Get an unleaded or Diesel Generator for electricity (with plenty of fuel for later), propane heaters for heat (The crisis will occur in the dead of winter), invest in Gold or Silver, stockpile food, bottled water, toiletries, medical supplies, and ammunition, and wait it out. —Personally, Im hoping Im just being a whacko who is making this worse then it seems. Society at large are too dependant on the need of computers, cellular phones, fax machines, the internet, and other stuff to handle the concept that all that is about to go up in smoke. But the good book says: “A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” (Proverbs 23:3). —I never said you should flee to the woods, but work towards preparing..and if it doesnt happen? Then it means you dont have to shop for a while But ask yourself this Question: Isnt it worth to be a little paranoid to protect those I love? Rebuttals Y2K Problem: The Y2K problem is only really a problem for IBM computers, and software that uses only 2 digits to store the year. Other computer systems like Unix wont suffer fom this problem untill the year 2535 or there abouts. As for ‘the world as we know it’ coming to a halt, I think it most unlikley, the only true problems will arise with the dating of files, there are some programs that will suffer from this but nothing of great concern. By that I mean some programs will suffer by the wrong date, bank files for example might have the wrong date on them but should otherwise be unaffected. Well thats my 2 cents worth, for what it was worth. Oh yes i have friends in the business of fixing these problems so I come from a more informed position then many. Cheers – PJ Like I said before on here, I “hope” Im just being Paranoid about this problem, but just sitting there, saying it isnt going to happen, isnt going to make the problem go away. And what you said about dates? what about the dates computing people’s Social Security checks? or gathering up your tax information and 401k money? What about your banking, where many of these dates affect the accrument of intrest? I dont want to sit here saying its the end of the world, but Im not going to sit idly by and say itll blow over. I work at a truck stop, and the computers there are so old, one still has a discoball on the top of it And Many computers from older companies are the same way. And we still havent dealt with the international background, and the Embedded Chip problem. Im glad you told me about this, knowing that there are those out there that want to make sure that this thing wont be worse then they say, but its better to be safe then sorry. Y2K Websites www.rightime.com This site carries a special program that will test your PC to make sure it will survive the Y2K crisis. www.garynorth.com A stimulating look at the Y2K crisis and links to special sites. The Cassandra Project A place dedicated to awareness of the Crisis, and what you can do to prepare for the worst… Westergaard Year 2000 This site designed to talk about recent news about the Y2K problem. Year 2000 Information Center This is the site of Peter de Jager, one of the early Y2K prophets, and carries a wide assortment of links and info. A book to read about… The Millenium Bug: how to Survive The Coming Chaos By Michael S. Hyatt Published by Regnery Publishing, Inc., Washington D.C. 1997 Back to the Toonvault.