Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

The 20th anniversary is coming up

AnselsBest1 Loc: WLA, CA

The sky is falling, like last time.LOL!

pendennis

The big nothing!

I used to write programs for accounting processing on main frames with smart terminal access. We started preparing for Y2K in 1985. All our programs were changed to put four positions in the year field. We used the computer's date format which was YYYY/MM/DD - HH/MM/SS. It took about two hours to change and test our systems. We spent the next 15 years improving process flow.

By 2000, I was in infrastructure support. I was on 24 hour call, from 22:00, 1999/12/31, until 23:00, 2000/01/01. World-wide we never had a single glitch, and we have computer systems literally global.

I really enjoyed getting over 24 hours at double-time, plus the holiday pay, and free food and drink from the company.

hobbit123 Loc: Brisbane, Australia

Just like global warming :-)

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

They had me convinced that it would be bad.

hobbit123 Loc: Brisbane, Australia

You're not alone. The people who peddle these schemes are very convincing. They are also experts at transferring money from your wallet to theirs...

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

I think that chinaware is the proper gift, or is it?
Smile,
JimmyT Sends

2Dragons Loc: The Back of Beyond

The ones we listened to were the TV media mavens and newspaper articles on Y2K. They really peddled the fear big time. I've learned since to take everything I hear on the boob-tube with a very large grain of salt. They thrive on panicking the public.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

I recall the Y2K issue. I had a large number of PC's in my lab. For the most part not a big deal. A small number of software upgrades were needed. I did have one problem. Our IT guy came around to check various computers. On one instrument he inserted his test disk. The instrument and computer were permanently destroyed in a few seconds. $75,000 down the drain.

CaptainBobBrown

Actually, for some companies Y2K was a real problem but they didn't publicize their difficulties since they resulted from using programs they'd long since lost the source code or compilers for or never had to begin with because their software was COTS.

Already we're seeing in this century a repeat of the same mistake. How many times in the last 19 years have you seen forms (e.g. online forms) where they ask for the date and only accept a 2 digit year?

However, because of the climate crisis and humanity's inaction we're not likely to have to deal with the Y2K problem in 2100. Ever been to New Zealand and Alaska and seen how far back the glaciers (those remaining) have receded in the last 20 years? I have.

Ever been to the highlands of Hawaii Island and found that in the last 40 years half the endemic species of birds have gone extinct because avian malaria is climbing to higher elevations because mosquitos survive higher and higher up the mountains. I have.

Global heating is real and the evidence faces us every day. So just like Y2K we can ignore and pay the consequences.

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

AnselsBest1 Loc: WLA, CA

I agree, just the buffons kept saying, the world will end. One of my favorite quotes is "When all the experts agree, they may well be mistaken."
Quote by Sir Bertram Russell. Amen.

JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington

One observation I have is that because there were many stories about computer issues related to Y2K, companies took the issue seriously and retrofitted their IT software to deal with the four digit year versus two digit year fields.

Since there were no major stories of Y2K meltdowns/disasters, much of the preparations were successful.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

I worked for the Dallas Park and Rec Dept. which ran the Cotton Bowl. One of the big concerns for that January 1st was that the scoreboards would not work for the Cotton Bowl game.

hobbit123 Loc: Brisbane, Australia

But there were no consequences. That was the whole point of this post.