HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-07-01, Page 11Second Section -
lily -1, 1948
Y2K: Tackling the millennium bug problem head-on
From lett. Comniunitv,Access Program representatives Germ
Geurts and Brad Hartman -will t answering Y2{( question:,
and concerns this summer. Locate,. CA' --representatives
be stationed at we Exetc:••. Lune:. Grand bene. Hensa:: ant'
Krrtkton lioraries'and the Huron empiovmentResource (,goer
,in Exete'. Ca, vote iocdi lrorary .ter: more rnrormatio!) aoot:- '
their office noun.
BY katherine Hardin.
7-A krvort(•-.
EXErEh - January 1.20(Ai is an ominousdl;adlitic•lor file enut:
-world. With less than a. year and a halt to go, people are'scrambiing ti
f*pd asotutron'to the Y2K bug-(a.k.a. millennium bug).
Contrary to the doomsday•predic6yilpy„sky isn't going to fatL but .•
is true the Y2K bug creates•a myriad of tethriic d, uuairress and tog.
issues and a quandary that ias•Uecuuie tic heauaciteol tiils.ceniu(
• WhatisY'2K:'
TueicoUntuuw•n ul the Y2k'-glitch began more urian tw a decaues a}
when to CUnSei ye expensive computer nietiwly spite:' - whit fl tllelt co'
$60(J,()0U a,i irgabyle s; 1t1gents tvu:r. -- plugrwinner s used un4V ILL -
digns rather than Juni to represent yea's }-,or exa,lipi •
'f97. but in tie year 2001j. con(putdrs Walser-"CY % ;(s'I9( J, causui
mW(uns t>h unurrect calcuIato s and Computer snutuuwu - '
'back tiien•musi proiranimets lust assuined,ttiat Mese hide' L1041)ute
• and their software would lie replaced by 2000 and then ;cost savin •
measure would not'be a Moor. That assumption was dead -wrong art•
no.w coYnpanies and individuals aro guing-lu•naveto pay a iarge.ptice ';
cortect Me millions in cunlputeis codes that Lave to 1'e 1'xeti - 0411
one
Whose effected - The Yf K- bug and yuiu
Almost nubotiy is 'militate Computer calms have found (lieu was•
lilt
everything trout eat. coffee rhakels and arc'ntaking the task tf tromp
out the hugs that mu. h more difficult
Experts say th.il to completely eriiitcate the problem evcrs''datc
every mainframe computer has to be comers•:! You only need Art,-
hasn't been checkc(i locause glitche`:tor ihr othci
Even homeowners can run into problems wrihrsome of their brunt
appliances th.d are%date sensitive. including many with a blinking 1.(71;
displpts. In 99 per -cent oheascs. such equipmcril wilt work'hut will pry:
the wrong' date. (:heck win -attic appliance s manufacturer to dctertnrn(
whether it i'.1'21% compliant, You'll prohahfv only need to renlace not,
compliant equipment if disnlavtng the cone. t date is c r4itca'. • ; .
macton(.
, T ne Y2 -F .pro -delft is especially troubling for nosh fru' and sma.
husinessc - • -
' Most depend on emnedded computer systems mat commonly confab
the
millennium nu_ • 'Ittt•y alsit lia\e to tactor in Inc problem tnat whit: -
tht•v-may become Y2K cbmpliaui. they nave t:: check m.11 all then
suppliers arc -also read ...'l he heauacnc ..•rricludine hahiht :. lust go ori an,:
Of. '
in a random poli o1 companies and government offices 111 the Exch.. -
area gilt reported mat tn1-v were currently adore sing lite Y2K-nrobiet
within 'heti tlrgantiuttc' :.
icft.Lalnot.,t. an intnrmativn wsteliu'Managcr at lsig 1) in:. says ht
4omnan- • • I. teatinl' W1)14 11 :11 :rserlous,matic• -
Lamhn.l. Wt11)'l.`. 1il-ordin:illn:.' too )'2K protect at all lite ,lite 1_) site
•
repoits-tnat the mummy- pas msec'. 1171 o1 all tne:r assets watt -
computri e!Clnc(:1 told then rilnnll/.Ing their apps. 1 ieveis On bie'.(7' `.
ovcr,if operant
-Almost I/11 Ver c'eiilj(t Ile- computers (oat are Clhef:red ate (:n Mit ueSR
nth sic ai.0 !t:e -c to Cheer ail our production cqutnnlen:. said Latnonc:
All Inc cucett0 nrouuUut'n.cuurptilcnt welt time 10 get &.leiter iintn.thc,
manufacturer I;ertliyll'L' 11ct lir(' VC::1 2(H))1 CoIltpilare •-
Lartl(.1ll(i-sa4'.Irl: COim V.II - Wilt aim; retest the equtpllleni agar
ttietnseiycs It+ verrt t i<'1 (111.44 te'Ctint74 tr:e• IIIi1C,iit11et ' 0 C0mlptlar.•
Launnnrls•i(upcltd that tit(; C111,1'e n1 met:: will be rurnpletCtf nv ihr.
iumiuct 4'! 199
troth.aoutti Hunt It husplt.0 and the -lown"of tixetcrdiunicipl(i 01111•
are In ttle.premmitarysages 441 soiv(ng Melt Y2k prubien- .
1 nr mulitcipa) of bee would unix comment that they nage been told tha'
their software and tax packages arc compha 1:
"Hui'as fat a' our hardwate and other package, .Wild know
town cle'k'-ucasuiCt i iisaoeth I312'. •
-
30011, htlr('II, hospital' administrator ►mi)Curreli said Mat tile 11‘,51)11•
11.4% ttYrivCu":a Int in external (teff) eSprciall}'-Rom file Chitin 1.' Hospit.
(1ssocratiun (()H1\', in tuanilting tttetl situaupt '
"V e have mad a'iot ('1 aSSlstallie ani we 41(11 he setting up ,1 t;vuumttr-
(1u. su,nnrrr ill LAI -intimate 1111.1114: inionnauu1- said Curie!' "Now a r. .
Iitatt111 1,1-p1lurItiiin4 What needs to ('e done oust arid men we will wor}• •
.'0141 way uuuugh fur test "1 the prohwwrr
uucii's.ild,utat Mc OHA this esennated that if wit; cost (hilati-
tlu.prlalti ((41-1{)t{ nuiuon to Noise lite..Y21,.'pro(ncn .
W hat should yuu do .' . ' •
• }Sellla.0 calm. lane a deep, nieatit ani inst-wuti. yuu(-way Ulruugn-tit•, '.
tntlh,eru step by air; '
refer Kempkc.: 0flery ecrinic.0 .wppurt'at cxe(et 's I`Kt) )41.tems in
.I lc say'. - (t IN Input holt lot eye!) company to talk IU turn 40411war4 •
_vendor and -loch) 044 itivenit„5 441 ail tile'soitwale you have
•
Anniversary Teu
• Iie•also suggest% husrnessrs-,-heck (herr hardware.and also nriontli(
what applications are'essentull 1' neon:' the cnmpans -
Kempke% estimate% That bit' businesses have the mo'.' work h ,do (4) per
•
rid of the millenmutn hut':. - • .
"Larger businesses have usualls developed their.own softwart' si4 the•.
have to look atter themselve•- Whereas small businesses typically nye-..
canned pac,kaet .0 lot of them have small'proyranl% and Il is less naintl,
•
too switch to an undated -program and start up on the hew stutf " he sail:
Kempkc. advise % tnrripanic. 11 tnev.alreadv haven 1 staffed to adorer
the nrohlem to begin immediated -
"I vc (inil- hada fe=w companies in for a.consultatiot. Most peopt1 (fon
pay enough attention 1 1 11 1 fies'11 wooer about -,i when ;t happen. but ,h
then ii will he 1,1 1011 he sa1.: - -
Y2hexpert. also ao-visc compares t(1 examen: the; contract. ai.;
obligations to see now hit -. are effected h- Y2}:. C omnanie% sttoula.ais(
make art effort io dncumenI al.! the- V2K man. and Process :,i- ouasntn,:
pie millennium nut. 1til.'eoulk) reduce the risk of being sued ier lac}. 6
due diligence tater or.. -
(:ettin! help - -
Local comnantt•s (-1 iniilv'Iduais that need notnrmor1.IntoTmauol
about tnc'miilcnntutn nue are lir iuci. . .. -
Through ire Huroin C ount\ (ommunity.Access Program (CAP.
libraries throughout the region inciudtn_! hxetet..Hensal:. (Irani }sent.
Lunen and Klrkuln nasc•in0ivi dal -on site that can adores. you: -
i;oncerns,eir-vuetittnn.`'1 here ms ai5.) a (AI'representatIv: avartan(e in the -
HUrbn Cntl'.plovnten' kesourcc Centre iffEKC.:.
'Ihc:program 'twitted oy industry Canada and the (lntarnl Mintstr. (-
Agriculture and I-eueratton of Rural Aftaus iOMAFftA-r I. oedtcate.t t,
ratsine Internet awareness and. Will educate people on,tnt• Y2K problem ir.
assoctattciil-with The governmnt s tat12k program this "summc -
"Hc wilt assist anv000r that needs heti said Inc Exeter Morar'. (.A!-
. renresentat t' ( (Urns C,curt "We' 11 find dui what tnerr problem is ant:
then direct. thele In people'that can het? them - - -
• besides offering 0 shoe tlresentauoll. ('AY rcprescntauvcs•w,itl ae abl:
t(' reutiritillenth 4 goyernrllert website and 'pttutte number (nal .give% inure
rntormauon t+n lir•• 1-2-h problem atter a consultanoi
- 4Vttir'rritonncit,nrr ►root niulttpie lnreinet sources utcutt(u(t' 11(:'88
(Mime un -1 Hi. - 1reglenti' Aske(I Question, • -
•
kir more 11ltorflhlt1U11sUll tht' mil iennium bug
here is a•list of books and websites to check out:
• Time Bomb 2000: What The Year 2000 Computer Crisis
. Meens,io fun!, B4 Edward Yourdon & }ennite"r luurdun
• -fear 2000,Sbltitions For Dummies. By Kelly C. Bourne
• Managing '00'? -Surviving The Year 2000. Computing
By Peter' de Jager and Richard bergeon
• The..'(t ar 2000 int"ormatiun Centre rs a huge.resuurce 01 •
articles, opinion and news as Well as providing .
cumprehen'sive links to other Y2K related sites
w ww:year2000.cont .
'•'LBM''s•'fear 206.0 site provides information on which -
sottware applications and hardware, *ruin IBM and other
suppliers, are known to be Y2K.compliant.-
,w w,w. ibm.eomil BMlyear2000.
• 1low'fo 2410 is a site with intormation-oii sueeesstulh
• steering your business through the century transition
www.huwto2000.cuni.
In the drink
Reooiving pins lot movies. Exeter Villa helped celebrate Seniors Month with an An-
niversary Tea on June 26, during which several employees were recognized for their years
of service. Administrator M. 1. MacDougall, far left, and administrator assistant Linda
Hawley, far right presented the pins to, from left: health care aid'Shaimy Kallumadyil, five
years; RN Deb Hayter, five years; health care aid Jane McComb, 10 years; and food -ser-
vices supervisor Barb Storey, 10 years.
Coating off in Lucan. Lucan pool's lifeguards are ready to help the young and old alike be
better swimmers. In water, from left: Marty McLaughlin, Lynn Cowdrey, Daryle Boshart; on
land, from left: Kellie Dale and Ben Dobbie. Absent is Allesha Anderson. Swimming lesson
session dates (the first has ,already started): July 13-24, July 27 -Aug. 7 and Aug. 10-21.
Bronze Medallion 'instruction runs July 6=24 and Bronze Cross runs July 27 -Aug. 14. Les-
sons cost $30 for one child, $55 for two and $80,for three. Swimming memberships cost
$40 for a single swimmer, $65 for two,, $85 .for a family of three, $95 for a family of four
and $105 for larger families. Public swimming is Monday -Friday, 24 p.m. and 6:30-8 p.m.;
Saturday -Sunday public swimming runs 1:304:30 p.m. and costs everyone $1.50 each
while weekday public swimming costs vary. Watch, out for special events all summer in-
cluding the Mission Impossible mini -Olympics on July 22. For more information, call the pool
at 227-1278.