Worldwide surveys show that companies are spending more of their information technology budget for correcting potential problems in their computer systems caused by the year 2000 bug. Although 19% of the current information technology budget is spent towards correcting the year 2000 problem, it is expected to be increased to 23% by the second quarter of ‘99 (Weil 2).
This may be too late to prevent many problems some say. Many businesses are either upgrading or have already upgraded their computer systems to year 2000 standards. Different fields of business are farther along the path to becoming year 2000 compliant. “Banking is well prepared for the year 2000. There are a few industries such as, food service and some government branches, however, that are ill prepared for the year 2000″(2). Sleep safely at night, knowing that your money is safe in the current banking systems.
Even though the government and some food service companies are behind on updating for the year 2000, they are working around the clock to achieve year 2000 compliance before the New Year strikes. If the government fails to upgrade to the year 2000, they will have a secondary plan. People vote certain officials into office in order to handle specific problems such as the year 2000 bug.
Worried about what the year 2000 bug will do to the United States? Cling to one comforting thought, “Things will be worse just about everywhere else in the world”(McMahon 1). Studies show the United States among the most highly prepared countries in the world. “As far as the world is concerned, many countries are not as prepared as the United States”(Weil 1). With the U.S. the most prepared countries include, Australia, Britain, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and Sweden. The least prepared countries include major names such as Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Romania, and Russia. Many fear that nuclear power plants in Russia may be at risk. Do we still remember Chernobyl? The good news is that no one believes that the Y2K glitch will accidentally launch an attack of nuclear missiles. In our global economy, setbacks to financial institutions from Asia to Africa to South America can affect the U.S. economy and Americans, in many unforeseeable ways. They are all very important pieces of our economic system. If these countries go under, we might have another economic disaster like the stock market crash of 1929. The government has placed many safeties in order to protect the people’s money and there is a general assumption that with the government, big business in the most important industries is making a substantial effort to protect U.S. interest abroad.
With the year 2000 approaching many possible problems may arise. Luckily for us in Chicago, New Zealand will be among the first to celebrate the Year 2000. At that time it will be 6 AM December 31, in Chicago. This gives us 18 hours to learn to some extent what the problems will be. All of these problems depend on a couple of factors. “The problems that the year 2000 may cause all depend upon the readiness of the people that are possibly affected by it” (Outsmarting 3). By the time New Years comes everything will be in order and ready for the change of the millennium, and the problems caused by this flaw in early programming will be minimal.
Works Cited
Ferrara, Matthew. “Outsmarting the Y2K Bug.” 14 Aug 1998. Online. Internet. 8 Mar 1999.
McMahon, Colin and Goering, Laurie. “Many nations are unwilling or unable to fix possible computer woes, leaving U.S. in peril. Chicago Tribune 21 March 1999:1.
Weil, Nancy. “Y2K survey finds wide spread disruptions likely.” 6 Aug 1998. Online Internet. 8 March 1999. Available Internet: www.pcworld.com
Ferrara, Matthew. “Outsmarting the Y2K Bug.” 14 Aug 1998. Online. Internet. 8 Mar 1999.
McMahon, Colin and Goering, Laurie. “Many nations are unwilling or unable to fix possible computer woes, leaving U.S. in peril. Chicago Tribune 21 March 1999:1.
Weil, Nancy. “Y2K survey finds wide spread disruptions likely.” 6 Aug 1998. Online Internet. 8 March 1999. Available Internet