FREE ESSAY ON Y2K

Y2K

I Understanding the Y2K problem
A- Two-Digit year/Six-digit date coding
But what is the meaning for two-digit year/Six-digit date coding? It is very simple, the
two-digit year is the last numbers entered for the year. So if you want to put the year
1990 into some applications in the computer, you will enter the last two numbers 90 to
the applications. Six-digit date coding is which In BIOS the date is written into six
digits, two for day, two for month and two for year.
By using the two digits for representing the year is the problem. It will cause in year
2000 a failure. The applications that require the user to enter the year routinely into
two digits to reduce the keystrokes will fail to operate. So the computer will fail to
append the correct century. For an example, If you want to enter a data which have the
year 2000 and also have the year 1900. You will put 00 for year 2000 and 00 for year
1900. So the capability to differentiate between date in the twentieth century and date
in the twenty-first century will fail.
However, All programs that represent the day of week by calculating it with the year last
two digits will print a wrong date. The dates in 1900s are not as in 2000s. For example,
January 1, 2000, will be Saturday but January 1, 1900, was Monday.
B- Programmer's reasons for making the problem
a- Saving memory space in the computer. The computers have a small amount of memory
available and the memory in bios is very expensive.
b- They found that it is more easier to put two digits for the year than four digits And
more easier to be print.
c- Since they make it two numbers, They didn't think that year 2000 will come Because it
was a long time for it. For that, A lot of programs were written in the traditional
manner of using two digit years on the date.
C- It is not the first time
It is a shock to everyone to know that's this problem is not the first one. It is
happened before. It made a major system balk at going from 1979 to 1980.
II Programmable logic devices (PLD)
By time, Logic devices or programmable logic devices (PLD) will stop working if it has
date adjustment. But what are (PLD)? (PLD) are chips that are used to operate many
devices, such as coffee maker, Security systems, Videos, Nuclear power, Phones, Mobiles,
Transport, Communications, Nuclear industry, Banking and finance. These devices may be
programmed by the Assembler programming language.
But at first, you will ask why date adjustment is the problem? Because it must deals with
the eight digit date and not six digit date only. So it must have eight digits to deal
with year 2000. And to differentiate between year 2000 and 1900.
No one now knows how many problems will be explored. Some problems are known like: - 
a- It will fail to operate.
b- Report an incorrect day of the week if it thinks that's year 1900 but is not year
2000.
But on other hand, PLD devices are used in a large production systems like food
processing, power plants and power company. Do you agree to stay in your home without
electricity for some days?. Companies must find out what problems will occur and find a
solution for it before it happens.
A- Credit cards
Your credit card is expired. This is an example of what will be happened by the scanner
that scan your credit card. The program that checks your credit card will say that today
greater than the expiration date. Thus, 01/01/99 is greater than 01/01/00, which would
result in your credit card being rejected. 
B- Security systems
However, If you have a security system, It will checks to see if today is s valid date
before recording an exit or an entry from a building. If the 00 date is determined to be
out of range or the computation is at fault the system may simply shut down and lock all
the doors.
III Operating systems and software ability to year 2000
A- Apple Macintosh
If you have Mac OS or apple Macintosh computer don't worry. It does not have any error
and can pass year 2000. Mac OS can covers dates from 30081 B.C. to 29940 A.D. In
addition, the Arabic version of the Mac OS operating system supports both the Arabic
astronomical lunar calendar and the Arabic civil lunar calendar. 
B- Microsoft Windows 3.1
File-manager will display the date 1900 instead of 2000.
C- Microsoft Windows 95
Windows 95 was interested by many people. This package seems to be okay to them. However
it may have the problem after 100 years later. The problem will occure after year 2099 on
the year 2100. Most of us would not think that it is a problem or if you are still using
Windows 95 till that time.
D- Microsoft Windows 98
Windows 98 correct the problems of the bad BOIS. So if you have a bad BOIS that stores
the year into two digits and the computer will write 00 for year the 1900 not for the
year 2000. This also will present a wrong day of the week. Windows 98 will take 00 from
the BOIS and calculate to make it year 2000.
E- Microsoft Excel
In Excel 95, it has 100 years limitations for entering two digits for year and this is
between year 1920 and 2019. So if you entered 1/1/19, it said January 1st, 2019 but when
you entered 1/1/20, It said January 1st 1920. However, if you are entering four digits
year, you will have limitations to 1978.