What is the Y2K bug?
For decades, programmers saved precious memory by storing years as two digits: 99 for 1999. When the calendar
turns, many computers will read 00 as 1900. The results could range from nothing at all to a coffee maker
that believes it is the McKinley administration.
Will anything happen?
Governments and companies have spent billions testing and fixing their systems. Most experts expect scattered,
minor glitches. A few expect more. Nobody expects the toaster to care.
What should I do?
Officials recommend the same preparations you would make for a winter storm: a few days of food and water,
flashlights, batteries and some cash. Then, they suggest, try to enjoy the party.
Take our readiness checklist.
Y2K stories:
Millennium stories:
|
|
Y2K BY THE NUMBERS
99.6% of systems passed Monday's final drill
$14,000 spent on one Minnesota town's Y2K report
4,000 cans of beans in one Kansas guest room
900 D-cell batteries owned by one anxious Connecticut man
1 government computer in the Kingdom of Tavai (now unplugged)
0 horses affected
|
|
MAIN PAGE
