What is the Y2K Bug?
Step1
The Y2K Bug was also known as the Year 2000 Bug or the Millennium Bug.
Step2
Since the 1950's, computer programmers had been storing dates by using only two digits to indicate the year (98 instead of 1998). They did this to create more compact code at a time when computer memory was vastly more expensive than it is now.
Step3
When the calendar rolled over to January 1st, 2000, these old programs would interpret this date as January 1st, 1900.
Step4
At first, this was only thought to concern banking and financial software. (For instance, if ten years were remaining on a mortgage due in 2010, the Y2K afflicted software would think there were 110 years of payments due.)
Step5
It was later discovered that the Y2K problem could be much more extensive. For example, the original software that power companies used averaged power use over time. If the old software were still in use on January 1st, 2000, it would think that one hundred years' worth of power consumption had occurred over night.
Step6
Other industries found problems of their own. Trucking, water utilities, air traffic systems, hospitals, and virtually anyone using a computer would have problems on January 1st, 2000.
Step7
The last Y2K issue to be recognized was perhaps the most disturbing at the time. Millions of consumer devices had embedded chips, which have the potential to be affected by the Y2K bug.
Step8
An embedded chip is a custom programmed chip, which is soldered onto a circuit board. They can be found in everything from clock radios to cars. These chips may or may not be date sensitive, but in most cases they could not be tested or even reprogrammed, only replaced. With dismay, it was realized that fixing the Y2K problem would not be just a matter of rewriting software. It would now become an issue of replacing hardware.
What was Done to Correct the Problem?
Step1
Programmers and computer experts had always been aware of the Y2K bug. What they failed to anticipate was that software written 40 years ago would still be in use today.
Step2
As the year 2000 approached, computer experts became more concerned about the possible impact of the Y2K Bug. In 1992, the Y2K Bug was first discussed in computer industry conferences, and plans were implemented to correct the problem.
Step3
Gradually, business leaders and finally government officials recognized the problem.
Step4
The banking and financial industries with their massive computer systems were perhaps the first to aggressively attack the problem, which had the potential to cause billion dollar errors.
Step5
Other industries realized that if they failed to prevent the problem from occurring in their own products and services, consumer outrage and potential litigation could ruin them as well.
Step6
The United States was farther along in correcting the problem than any other country. Government experts identified many of the areas that could be affected and assisted businesses and other government agencies to eliminate the problem.
