sorry if this has been posted already...pulled off Drudge

fair use: for educational/research purposes only

Gov't Reports 2 Minor Y2K Failures

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/aponline/19991001/aponline185810_ 000.htm By Ted Bridis

Associated Press Writer

Friday, Oct. 1, 1999; 6:58 p.m. EDT

WASHINGTON  The Energy Department and National Science Foundation suffered minor computer failures blamed on the Year 2000 technology problem on Friday, the first day of the government's new fiscal year. Both problems were solved by the end of the day, according to the President's Council on the Year 2000 Conversion, which planned to monitor agencies through the weekend for additional reports of problems.

"We thought we might have a handful of issues come up," said Jack Gribben, a spokesman for the council.

The Energy Department reported that a purchasing system temporarily failed, and the science foundation reported problems with a system that provides information to grant recipients.

The date system for many federal computers on Friday rolled to 2000 to mark the beginning of the government's fiscal year, offering an early taste of how the nation's computer systems may fare in the early hours of Jan. 1.

The so-called Y2K problem exists because many older computers and software programs recognize only the last two digits of the year and could mistakenly interpret "00" as 1900.

Nearly all states and many companies started their fiscal years in July. Few problems were reported then.

Though Friday was the first government-wide date challenge related to Y2K, there have been other tests in recent months: A date change in a satellite navigation system caused some failures, including problems in Japan, where thousand of drivers complained about the loss of their mapping computers.

Last month, Sept. 9 passed with no reports of serious problems, amid concerns that some older computers might interpret "9999" as a command to stop operating.

) Copyright 1999 The Associated Press

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wonder what else happened that they aren't reporting?

Mike

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-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), October 01, 1999

Answers

Wonder what else happened that they haven't found yet? What system is still chugging along, spewing out data...wrong data? And when will it be found?

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), October 01, 1999.

The so-called Y2K problem exists because many older computers and software programs recognize only the last two digits of the year and could mistakenly interpret "00" as 1900.

How freaking long is it going to take before a news item appears without that obligitory paragraph? Do they truly think that no one knows what the hell they are talking about?

Goddamn I am tired of reading that. I bet I have read it a half million times -- and that doesn't count all the times I saw it coming and skipped it over.

-- semper paratus (llmcl@usa.net), October 01, 1999.

For chrisake, our government IS a Y2K failure. Sheeeeeese!

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), October 02, 1999.