Posted on 01/02/2020 6:50:51 AM PST by C19fan
Twenty years ago, we were all pretty sure the world was going to end on January 1, 2000—or, if not the world, then at least civilization.
It had something to do with how most computer programs used the last two digits to represent a four-digit year, and when the clock rolled over at the end of 1999, every computer would think it was 1900. When that happened, ATMs would stop working, the electrical grid would shut down, planes would fall out of the skies, and newborn babies would get hundred-year-old birth certificates.
(Excerpt) Read more at popularmechanics.com ...
The funniest thing I saw was the first day Costco was open in 2000 the returns line was really, REALLY long. And it was people returning stuff like power generators, Peanut Butter, and even potato chips. It was hilarious.
I had several 25 lb beans to work my way through. I was a Y2K remediation programmer. I know what could happen. I fixed a lot of stuff for several companies that, had we not done anything, would have been catastrophic for them, at least short term. That begs the question - what would have happened if we had done nothing?
The real story.
The Fed flooded the market with cheap and easy money, just in case...
They found it so easy to do - they never stopped.
Anyone who worked in any industry or sector that had technology or product that used two digit datecodes know that they were preparing for Y2K years before it hit. No one wanted to be the ones who ended up with the shame of having caused outages. No one wanted to immortalized in print and media. From financial systems, telcos, and the grid right down to thermostats, GPS receivers and PCs. Everyone was providing patching and updating and it was only the sensationalist tabloid news hacks that were whipping up the hysteria
[[[most computer programs used the last two digits to represent a four-digit year]]]
The issue we had was we were using 2 digit years (97,98,99,00) zero year is invalid.
We converted everything from a 2 digit year to a 4 digit year format.
fun times
I used to sell 4th of July fireworks for a medical charity in the Philippines, we can go to the ER but they have to die from critical ailments, on Y2K minus 3 days, I sold fireworks in the rain, then at 9:30 PM on Friday, December 31, 1999, I let my wife have the car to take the kids home, I rode a bus to downtown Sacramento, backed up everything on our local server onto Zip disks, magnetic super-floppies.
VastRWCon wrote: “We converted everything from a 2 digit year to a 4 digit year format.”
But are we prepared for Y10K?
I’m still stuck with all this duct tape and plastic sheeting I was supposed to use to wrap my house, as suggested by the Dept of Homeland Security, back in the early 2000’s.
So, did programmers in the 1980’s think this whole “computer thingy” was just a fad that wouldn’t last twenty years? Lol!
So, did programmers in the 1980’s think this whole “computer thingy” was just a fad that wouldn’t last twenty years? Lol!
~~~
No, but in the 80s memory was at a premium in most computers. The best programmers could write software that accomplished the processes with most minimal lines of code. In 1985 it probably never occurred to you that your program would be running in 1999.
During that time I laughed at the Y2K "doomsters" but it is certainly true that corporations took rather strong measures to make sure their systems were up to snuff.
Still a lot of COBOL programs running today, and they don’t even have the source code for it.
If you wanted to change those programs, you literally had to manipulate the bytes in the compiled code file.
Just curious, did he work for EDS? Ross Perot preferred to hire Vietnam Vets back then.
Lately I’ve been listening to some of Art Bell’s old Coast 2 Coast overnight broadcasts. He seemed to be doing everything in his power to fuel Y2K doom and gloom. Some of his guests were predicting total technological apocalypse. Remember the visions of planes falling from the sky?
But are we prepared for Y10K?
LOL, good question! Will our distant descendants have problems when we go from December 31, 9999, to January 1, 10,000?
Will we still be using the same calendar numbering system in the year 10,000 AD? There’s something to consider.
I was working for CBS radio at the time. They paid a company to come in and certify the equipment as Y2K compliant. Every speaker, microphone, amplifier got a “Y2K approved” sticker to the tune of 125 bucks apiece. They refused to certify anything with a microprocessor, like a console. Wish I thought of that scam.
Pretty good summary of the boneheads running CBS.
He worked at NAFEC (sp?) outside of Atlantic City,He also worked for NASA and did Space shuttle reentry and did guided missile forensics. Some stuff he couldn’t tell me what he was working on. I really don’t know if he worked for EDS. Hes pushing 73 now and will ask him next time I talk to Him.
Plenty of TV evangelists were terrorizing people about Y2K. Doom porn.
Exactly because they spent the time and resources to ensure nothing happened.
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