Software running many computer systems is programmed to handle the date with two digits, rather than four. This simple mistake designed to save memory space in early computers could prove to have far-reaching and potentially disastrous implications in the Millennium year 2,000.

Already the first signs are appearing: Marks & Spencer came close to destroying a consignment of corned beef dated to expire in 2005, when their computer system read the date as 1905. The National Pharmaceutical Association report that two pharmacies had their entire records wiped out whilst they were testing their PC system for Millennium compliance. A report commissioned by the Health & Safety Executive predicts that there is a 10- 15% chance of the embedded chips in safety systems in engineering processes failing in year 2,000 unless action is taken to rectify the problem. There are some 20 billion embedded in use around the world as components in industrial process equipment, transport systems, hospital equipment, and domestic consumer goods. Even the failure of a fraction of these could result in major accidents.

To find out more about the Millennium Bug and how it might affect you have a look at the Computers Don't Bite website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/disaster/bug.shtml

-- lulu (lulu010101@aol.com), January 10, 1999

Answers

Did anyone else have trouble getting on the web yesterday l/9/99? I kept getting "cannot connect" or some such nonsense.

-- Flagirl (Filterlady@aol.com), January 10, 1999.

Yes, I had alot of problems connecting to websites and I was booted off my connection.

-- lulu (lulu010101@aol.com), January 10, 1999.

Do you think we will have this same kind of trouble every month?

-- Flagirl (filterlady@aol.com), January 11, 1999.