The Y2K Problem

Term Paper Title	The Y2K Problem
# of Words	731
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	2.92

The Y2K Problem

Jody Thrasher
AC 100
2/18/99

     Forty years ago when the first computers and computer systems were being developed the biggest problem computer engineers and programmers faced was lack of space.  The early computers were huge, filling up entire rooms instead of just desktops.  The programmers also had to enter dates into the obese primitive hard drives with the year recognized with only two digits.  These programmers didn�t even think about the problems these systems would have when the year two thousand rolled over and the computer dating systems registered a double zero.  These early programmers thought that their systems would be technologically inferior, outdated, and replaced by the year two thousand so the Y2K problem never crossed their mind.  Some computer systems that are thirty years old are still up and running with defective dating mechanisms.  In addition to these ancient systems most modern systems are not Y2K compliant since the problem was only addressed in the mid 90�s.
     Our technologically driven society is extremely vulnerable to Y2K induced malfunctions.  Everything from power plants, air traffic control systems, banks, and even coffee makers could fail.  Luckily in the U.S. the government and business community have spent billions of dollars and hired thousands of programmers to alleviate the problem here at home.  In Europe and Asia the problem has not been properly addressed as it has been in the United States.  This could cause a global economic meltdown.
     Many believe that Y2K will cause a global meltdown and are stocking up on solar panels, water purifiers, dehydrated foods, and even guns and ammunition.  Housing developers have planned developing Y2K compliant communities complete with windmills, generators, and the potential to grow their own food. (2000 acreage--site unseen 4D).  Y2K probably will not send us back into an archaic stone age.  The biggest problem we face with Y2K will be it�s price tag.  Billions have already been spent.  In the unlikely event banking systems break down, the Federal Reserve is prepared to put fifty billion dollars into circulation �just in case people want a couple of dollars...� (We shouldn�t be left in the dark 4A).  If the European and Asian markets  expierence Y2K meltdowns invariably t...

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