Y2K@UB

If I just bought a new PC and new software, do I have to worry about Year 2000?

Let's address hardware and software separately.

Hardware:

If you have a manufacturer warranty certifying that the PC is Y2K compliant, you should be okay. However, if this PC is critical to your job or project, it is still recommended that it be tested for compliance.

Regardless of when you purchased your PC, if you didn't purchase one that is certified compliant, you'll have to check with the manufacturer. Most vendors have online sites listing which of their systems are Year 2000 compliant. UB's Web site http://wings.buffalo.edu/year2000/vendor.html has links to many of them.

Software:

For various reasons, upgrading your software will not necessarily shield you from the Year 2000 problem. Even if you have the most recent version, this does not mean it is Year 2000 compliant. Some vendors will not have compliant versions ready until sometime in 1999.

Also, importing from an older version can cause problems. For example, your old spreadsheet may misinterpret a two-digit date and save the incorrect information. When you import it to your upgraded spreadsheet, the software will read the date however the old software interpreted it; the new software will have no reason to suspect that the date might be inaccurate.

Another problem exists with programs and customized code written in-house. Your software may be compliant, but it may still be possible to have in-house or custom code using two-digit dates and hard-coded 19__ for a year value. This can still produce inaccurate results, even if you are using compliant operating systems and software packages.

If you have Y2K questions that you would like answered in this column, email them to goldbaum@buffalo.edu.