Alert 98 – 24 The Millennium Bug
Alert 98 – 24 The Millennium Bug
WHAT HAPPENED:
On 1 January 2000, every computer — and computer chip — in the world will need to recognize that the 1900s are a thing of the past. Many will need to be reprogrammed, since original coding often used only two digits for the year. This design flaw means that computers may not distinguish whether 00 means 1900 or 2000, which may lead to possible shutdowns, inaccurate data and faulty calculations. This is often referred to as “The Y2K Problem,” or “Millenium Bug.” Fixing the problem may be painstaking and labor intensive; not fixing it may be worse. Serous safety and health problems are among the many concerns facing employers, employees and governments worldwide. These issues should be addressed as quickly as possible.