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The Year 2000 problem, also known as the millennium bug, stems from an old programming shortcut that used only two digits to signify years, such as "76" for 1976. If computer systems are not modified, some may mistake the year 2000 for the year 1900 and may cease to function.
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By News.com staff
November 4, 1999, 12:00 p.m. PT Everyone pays a price
Untold sums were spent out of hype and fear surrounding the most celebrated bug in high-tech history. But was it all necessary?
If it ain't broke...
Quick-fix software isn't flying off the shelves as many of its makers had hoped, disappointing an entire cottage industry.
Not rocket science
Y2K consultants are busy--driven mainly by a robust technology market in general--but aren't in wild demand as once thought.
Wall St. holds breath
Fears of the Y2K bug have depressed some foreign markets, but few believe that the U.S. financial establishment will be crippled.
Lawyers win again
Plaintiffs' lawyers, corporate defense teams, and the ever-growing Y2K groups within practices are all gearing up for the bug's legal punch. No matter how the expected slew of cases plays out, there is money to be made. | |
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