Y2K Horror Essay, Research Paper

Over the years, the technological world has advanced rapidly, and humans have

come to rely on computers for just about every aspect of daily life from

education, to communication, to banking, to electricity, we depend on

technology. The Y2K ?bug? seems to be a vicious reminder that our technology

is just a tangled connection of imperfect, haphazard systems we have come to let

run our lives. The year 2000 or the Y2K problem is caused by a ?short cut?

imbedded into many computer and microchips. In the 1960s, to conserve what was

then precious and expensive memory space, computer programmers shortened the

four-digit year to use a much more economical two-digit method for example, 78

would mean 1978. Unfortunately, computers and microchips that still use a

two-number year will recognize 00 as the year 1900, not as 2000. When using data

involving dates, the problem will cause failures, and can corrupt databases with

incorrect information. A statement issued by the President?s Council on the

Year 2000 Conversion states: ?This Y2K bug could cause computers to either

shut down or generate incorrect data. In our electronic information-dependent

society, that could be a big problem.? At the time the two-digit year was

first used in computer programming, no one addressed or was prepared for a

problem when the year 2000 rolled around, because, like today, technology was

advancing and changing quickly. Computer programmers assumed that the two-digit

year would eventually be changed and become obsolete. This, obviously, did not

happen. In many cases, the older applications that use the two-digit method have

been built on, and are buried deep into systems that are the basis of large

corporations and other industries that run civilization as we know it. Computers

are everywhere in government, business, utilities, and our jobs. When one system

fails, there is a cascading effect to other systems. Chairman of the

Subcommittee on Government Management, Stephen Horn, stated that ?Despite a

lingering skepticism in some realms, I assure you: The Year 2000 problem is

real; its consequences are serious; and the deadline remains unstoppable.? The

Y2K problem can not be accurately figured, and no one knows exactly what will be

affected, or how much. Bad news lurks in every corner and statistics are

depressing. The consulting firm GatnerGroup has estimated that Venezuela and

Saudi Arabia (two of the largest exporters of oil to the United States) are 12

to 18 months behind the United States in their Y2K compliance efforts. Being

faced with the threats of loss of electricity, oil, and unfortunately, any hope

of technological stability is a serious matter that should not be tossed around

like it is not a big deal at all. Definitely knowledge and preparation is the

key to surviving this glitch in civilization. I really, truly feel that it is

wrong to write Y2K off as a media-hype, every human being is going to effect by

the Y2K horror. Dave Fleming Michael Pratt Com 112-03 9 November, 1999 Proposal

Argument The Y2K Horror Over the years, the technological world has advanced

rapidly, and humans have come to rely on computers for just about every aspect

of daily life from education, to communication, to banking, to electricity, we

depend on technology. The Y2K ?bug? seems to be a vicious reminder that our

technology is just a tangled connection of imperfect, haphazard systems we have

come to let run our lives. The year 2000 or the Y2K problem is caused by a

?short cut? imbedded into many computer and microchips. In the 1960s, to

conserve what was then precious and expensive memory space, computer programmers

shortened the four-digit year to use a much more economical two-digit method for

example, 78 would mean 1978. Unfortunately, computers and microchips that still

use a two-number year will recognize 00 as the year 1900, not as 2000. When

using data involving dates, the problem will cause failures, and can corrupt

databases with incorrect information. A statement issued by the President?s

Council on the Year 2000 Conversion states: ?This Y2K bug could cause

computers to either shut down or generate incorrect data. In our electronic

information-dependent society, that could be a big problem.? At the time the

two-digit year was first used in computer programming, no one addressed or was

prepared for a problem when the year 2000 rolled around, because, like today,

technology was advancing and changing quickly. Computer programmers assumed that

the two-digit year would eventually be changed and become obsolete. This,

obviously, did not happen. In many cases, the older applications that use the

two-digit method have been built on, and are buried deep into systems that are

the basis of large corporations and other industries that run civilization as we

know it. Computers are everywhere in government, business, utilities, and our

jobs. When one system fails, there is a cascading effect to other systems.

Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Management, Stephen Horn, stated that

?Despite a lingering skepticism in some realms, I assure you: The Year 2000

problem is real; its consequences are serious; and the deadline remains

unstoppable.? The Y2K problem can not be accurately figured, and no one knows

exactly what will be affected, or how much. Bad news lurks in every corner and

statistics are depressing. The consulting firm GatnerGroup has estimated that

Venezuela and Saudi Arabia (two of the largest exporters of oil to the United

States) are 12 to 18 months behind the United States in their Y2K compliance

efforts. Being faced with the threats of loss of electricity, oil, and

unfortunately, any hope of technological stability is a serious matter that

should not be tossed around like it is not a big deal at all. Definitely

knowledge and preparation is the key to surviving this glitch in civilization. I

really, truly feel that it is wrong to write Y2K off as a media-hype, every

human being is going to effect by the Y2K horror. Dave Fleming Michael Pratt Com

112-03 9 November, 1999 Proposal Argument The Y2K Horror Over the years, the

technological world has advanced rapidly, and humans have come to rely on

computers for just about every aspect of daily life from education, to

communication, to banking, to electricity, we depend on technology. The Y2K

?bug? seems to be a vicious reminder that our technology is just a tangled

connection of imperfect, haphazard systems we have come to let run our lives.

The year 2000 or the Y2K problem is caused by a ?short cut? imbedded into

many computer and microchips. In the 1960s, to conserve what was then precious

and expensive memory space, computer programmers shortened the four-digit year

to use a much more economical two-digit method for example, 78 would mean 1978.

Unfortunately, computers and microchips that still use a two-number year will

recognize 00 as the year 1900, not as 2000. When using data involving dates, the

problem will cause failures, and can corrupt databases with incorrect

information. A statement issued by the President?s Council on the Year 2000

Conversion states: ?This Y2K bug could cause computers to either shut down or

generate incorrect data. In our electronic information-dependent society, that

could be a big problem.? At the time the two-digit year was first used in

computer programming, no one addressed or was prepared for a problem when the

year 2000 rolled around, because, like today, technology was advancing and

changing quickly. Computer programmers assumed that the two-digit year would

eventually be changed and become obsolete. This, obviously, did not happen. In

many cases, the older applications that use the two-digit method have been built

on, and are buried deep into systems that are the basis of large corporations

and other industries that run civilization as we know it. Computers are

everywhere in government, business, utilities, and our jobs. When one system

fails, there is a cascading effect to other systems. Chairman of the

Subcommittee on Government Management, Stephen Horn, stated that ?Despite a

lingering skepticism in some realms, I assure you: The Year 2000 problem is

real; its consequences are serious; and the deadline remains unstoppable.? The

Y2K problem can not be accurately figured, and no one knows exactly what will be

affected, or how much. Bad news lurks in every corner and statistics are

depressing. The consulting firm GatnerGroup has estimated that Venezuela and

Saudi Arabia (two of the largest exporters of oil to the United States) are 12

to 18 months behind the United States in their Y2K compliance efforts. Being

faced with the threats of loss of electricity, oil, and unfortunately, any hope

of technological stability is a serious matter that should not be tossed around

like it is not a big deal at all. Definitely knowledge and preparation is the

key to surviving this glitch in civilization. I really, truly feel that it is

wrong to write Y2K off as a media-hype, every human being is going to effect by

the Y2K horror. Dave Fleming Michael Pratt Com 112-03 9 November, 1999 Proposal

Argument The Y2K Horror Over the years, the technological world has advanced

rapidly, and humans have come to rely on computers for just about every aspect

of daily life from education, to communication, to banking, to electricity, we

depend on technology. The Y2K ?bug? seems to be a vicious reminder that our

technology is just a tangled connection of imperfect, haphazard systems we have

come to let run our lives. The year 2000 or the Y2K problem is caused by a

?short cut? imbedded into many computer and microchips. In the 1960s, to

conserve what was then precious and expensive memory space, computer programmers

shortened the four-digit year to use a much more economical two-digit method for

example, 78 would mean 1978. Unfortunately, computers and microchips that still

use a two-number year will recognize 00 as the year 1900, not as 2000. When

using data involving dates, the problem will cause failures, and can corrupt

databases with incorrect information. A statement issued by the President?s

Council on the Year 2000 Conversion states: ?This Y2K bug could cause

computers to either shut down or generate incorrect data. In our electronic

information-dependent society, that could be a big problem.? At the time the

two-digit year was first used in computer programming, no one addressed or was

prepared for a problem when the year 2000 rolled around, because, like today,

technology was advancing and changing quickly. Computer programmers assumed that

the two-digit year would eventually be changed and become obsolete. This,

obviously, did not happen. In many cases, the older applications that use the

two-digit method have been built on, and are buried deep into systems that are

the basis of large corporations and other industries that run civilization as we

know it. Computers are everywhere in government, business, utilities, and our

jobs. When one system fails, there is a cascading effect to other systems.

Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Management, Stephen Horn, stated that

?Despite a lingering skepticism in some realms, I assure you: The Year 2000

problem is real; its consequences are serious; and the deadline remains

unstoppable.? The Y2K problem can not be accurately figured, and no one knows

exactly what will be affected, or how much. Bad news lurks in every corner and

statistics are depressing. The consulting firm GatnerGroup has estimated that

Venezuela and Saudi Arabia (two of the largest exporters of oil to the United

States) are 12 to 18 months behind the United States in their Y2K compliance

efforts. Being faced with the threats of loss of electricity, oil, and

unfortunately, any hope of technological stability is a serious matter that

should not be tossed around like it is not a big deal at all. Definitely

knowledge and preparation is the key to surviving this glitch in civilization. I

really, truly feel that it is wrong to write Y2K off as a media-hype, every

human being is going to effect by the Y2K horror.