Y2k Global Shutdown Essay, Research Paper

Y2k Global Shutdown? : Problems and Solutions of the Millennium Bug Computers are the ruling factor in today s society. They operate virtually everything from traffic brake lights to our authoritiess national security. What would people make if these computing machines decided to crash all of a sudden at the same clip? There would be aggregate confusion that could ensue in Armageddon. On Januray 1, 2000, at precisely 12:00 ante meridiem, this may go on due to a simple scheduling overlook coined the millenary bug, besides referred to as the Y2K bug. Knowing the cause and effects of the Y2K bug will assist society avoid the job before the bend of the century. Before the twelvemonth 1995, coders formatted the computing machines BIOS, Basic Input Output System, to acknowledge merely the last two figures of a twelvemonth. This was done to conserve cherished memory infinite. The BIOS is the portion of the computing machine hardware that processes and calculates informations. For illustration, the twelvemonth 1998 would be acknowledged as 98. You may inquire yourself what s the large trade with that? . The reply is simple. Most computing machine package is written in the same format as the BIOS, so that they will be compatible with one another. The job is when the twelvemonth 2000, or 00, is inputted, the computing machine will acknowledge it as 1900. This will unwittingly do plans to gross out out. Calculations will be processed falsely ensuing in computing machine closure. If you own or operate a computing machine that was created prior to 1992, you should be really concerned ( Charski ) . Not deciding the job could do your computing machine to crash and all informations stored on the difficult thrust will be lost. Do non panic. Identifying the job is reasonably simple. Although it is non a really dependable trial, altering the day of the month in the DOS plan may give you an thought. If you input any day of the month after the twelvemonth 2000 and the plan doesn T acknowledge it, you have a job. If it is recognized, so your DOS plan is all right ; but your system may still be jeopardized due to the fact that DOS and the computing machines BIOS tally of different redstem storksbills. The safest, cheapest and most efficient manner to find if your personal computer is millennium compatible is to buy a plan that searches for the bug. These plans are reasonably cheap and easy to utilize. The Microsoft Company will let go of service battalions free of charge via the Internet that will repair Y2K jobs for most of their non-compliant package ( McWilliams ) . It is best to look into the hardware compatibility foremost since it is the biggest portion of the input-output procedure and is the most expensive to repair or replace. On October 2, 1998, the authorities passed The Year 2000 Information Readiness Disclosure Act. It is designed to promote companies to work together to happen solutions for the bug. The jurisprudence was the first large measure that the authorities has implemented in the attempt to decide the issue before the terminal of this decennary. The measure express that computing machine fabricating companies of hardware every bit good as package are non to be held apt in jurisprudence suits ensuing from the Y2K bug unless the package is said to be compliant but does non make its occupation. You would believe that our authorities is on top of the state of affairs. Research done by IDG News Service graded how the sections and bureaus of our national authorities are making with mission-critical systems refering the Y2K bug. The base classs were affected by four factors: eventuality programs, telecommunications systems, embedded systems, and external informations exchange, every bit good as when they are estimated to be twelvemonth 2000 compliant. The classs were recorded as follows: A+ : Social Security Administration A- : General Services Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Science Foundation B: Department of Commerce, Small Business Administration, NASA, Nuclear Regulatory Commission C: Department of Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, Labor and Veterans Affairs C- : Office of Personnel Management, Department of the Interior D: Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Justice, and Education F: Environmental Protection Agency ; sections of State, Health, and Human Services, Energy and Transportation ; Agency for International Development ( Weil, Gov.. ) . Although apparently undistinguished, all of these sections and bureaus consequence every citizen and their well being. Hopefully the jobs that they are meeting will be resolved before the millenary. The Gartner Group estimates it could be up to six hundred billion dollars to repair the job worldwide ( Reuters ) . Hiting a small closer to place, it would be a major calamity if local concerns in your community do non turn to the job. One beginning indicated that most power companies run on a computing machine generated agenda. These plans are designed to close down the generators if they have non had their regular care. In other words, if power companies do non decide the Y2K job before the bend of the century, people will be left in the dark. The IRS sent information about the prob

lunar excursion module to more than six million little concerns ; half of which are expected to make nil, which could ensue in disbursement 20 thousand to three and a half million dollars to repair the job after their systems have crashed. Without dramatic betterments, the state s air traffic could confront serious breaks after December 31, 1998. Although most fiscal establishments are in front of the conformity, some industries such as nutrient processing, agribusiness, building, jurisprudence, and medical services are really far behind in the declaration. If you own your ain concern, the Small Business Administration suggests you follow these stairss:

1. Measure the job. List your full concern computing machine systems- and Don T forget that can include dismaies, warming and air conditioning, duplicators, hard currency registries, and other devices that aren t computing machines. Prioritize repairing them, harmonizing to how critical each is to the concern, how they interact, and how shortly they are likely to get down holding jobs. 2. Research the solutions. Ask sellers and proficient support suppliers about what it will take to repair each system, or whether it makes more sense to replace it. 3. Make the work. 4. Test the consequences on a transcript of your concern informations, non the existent thing. Put the systems redstem storksbills so you can watch them travel from December 31, 1999, to January 1, 2000, and from December 31, 2000 to January 1, 2001. It s besides wise to look into February 29, 2000, every bit good as September 9, 1999 ( coders one time used 9999 to signal unnatural state of affairss ) . 5. Expand the research by inquiring your providers and spouses whether they are ready. 6. Make a backup program. Line up alternate providers, stock up on of import points, and do difficult transcripts of of import records ( Peltz ) . Even if our state does decide its Y2K issue, other states such as Asia, South America, and the Middle East are far behind the twelvemonth 2000 conformity haste. Beginnings indicate that two-thirds of the little concerns and authoritiess in these states do non hold the agencies or merely merely make non care about the issue ( Weil, Y2K.. ) . This will consequence everyone due to the impact it will do in the stock market and import/export concern if their computing machines are down. Bottom line: Begin fixing for the twelvemonth 2000 instantly. Keep accurate, written records of bank histories, insurance issues, mortgage informations, stock information, and anything that might consequence your pecuniary good being to compare with statement received after the twelvemonth 2000. Avoid major fiscal minutess during the first few hebdomads of January 2000. Don t program any unneeded travel around the vacation season, particularly by air due to the possibility of proficient malfunctions of onboard aircraft computing machines. If your place or office is powered by electricity, insure that your furnace and cook range will non neglect, trusting, of coarse, that there will be power. It would besides be good to stock up on non-perishable nutrient and H2O. For a more in-depth account of fixing yourself for the bend of the century, visit the World Wide Web at www.readyfory2k.com ( Brown ) . The site gives you an first-class eventuality program and allows you to buy books and pictures to see your household is safe and healthy during the crisis period.

Brown, Eric. Y2k: Where Will You Be When the Lights Go Out? 28 Oct. 1998.PC World online. 5 Nov. 1998. hypertext transfer protocol: //www2.pcworld.com/pcwtoday/article/0,1510,8582,00.html & gt ; .Charski, Mindy. Is Your Computer Millennium-Compatible? Medill News Service.20 May 1997. Personal computer World online. 3 Nov 1998. hypertext transfer protocol: //www2.pcworld.com/cgi-bin/database/body.pl? ID=970520060127 & gt ; .Luening, Erich. Who will break the Y2K bug? CNET News. 19 Nov. 1997. Cnet.3 Nov. 1998. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.news.com/News/Item/Textonly/0,25,16608,00.html? stone.ni.pfv & gt ; .McWilliams, Brian. Microsoft Plans for Bugs and Year 2000. Personal computer World News Radio.16 Apr. 1998. Personal computer World online. 3 Nov 1998. hypertext transfer protocol: // www2.pcworld.com/cgi-bin/database/body.pl? ID=980416104424 & gt ; .Peltz, Jennifer. Feds Sound Y2K Alarm for Small Businesses. Personal computer World. 19 Oct. 1998.3 Nov. 1998. hypertext transfer protocol: //www2.pcworld.com/pcwtoday/article/0,1510,8446,00.html & gt ; .Reuters. Latest Y2K Weapon: difficult transcripts. CNET News. 2 Jan. 1998. Cnet. 5 Nov. 1998. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.news.com/News/Item/Textonly/0,25,17755,00.html? st.ne.ni.pfv & gt ; .Spector, Lincoln. Year 2000: At hand Personal computer Disaster? Not If You Plan Ahead. Medill News Service. 3 Jan. 1998. Personal computer World online. 5 Nov. 1998.http: //www2.pcworld.com/workstyles/athome/articles/jan98/1601p07.html & gt ; . Weil, Nancy. Government Gets Failing Classs on Year 2000 Report Card. IDG NewsService. 3 June 1998. Personal computer World online. 4 Nov. 1998. hypertext transfer protocol: //www2.pcworld.com/cgi-bin/database/body.pl? ID=980603142517. & gt ; .Weil, Nancy. House Passes Year 2000 Bill. Personal computer World. 2 Oct. 1998. 5 Nov. 1998.http: //www2.pcworld.com/pcwtoday/article/0,1510,8281,00.html & gt ; .Weil, Nancy. Y2K Survey Finds Widespread Disruptions Likely. IDG News Service.6 Aug. 1998.PC World online. 5 Nov. 1998. hypertext transfer protocol: //www2.pcworld.com/pcwtoday/article/0,1510,7668,00html & gt ; .