The Rural Voice, 1999-01, Page 45Everyone has a year -
2000 problem, bank
expert says
The problem of computers not
being able to handle the date change
to the year 2000 is a critical
worldwide issue that will cost more
than a trillion dollars to fix, an
information technologies expert told
a December 2 forum in Walkerton
organized by Market Grey -Bruce.
"We all arc going to experience
the problem one way or another,"
said Rod Morris who is part of a
1,000 -person team working on
preparing the Canadian Imperial
Bank of Commerce for the change of
the millenium. Estimates of fixing
the problem for his company have
risen to $200 million from an initial
projection of $50 million, he said.
"The problem is technically simple,"
he said, "we just have to find all the
areas where it can crop up.
"This is a business issue, not a
technical issue," he said.
"The focus on preparing for thc
year 2000 depends on you," Morris
warned business people in the
audience. While he said "I don't
personally believe there is a reason to
panic," he warned that everyone
should do an inventory of their
business and understand how
vulnerable they might be.
"It requires 100 per cent of the
technology of a business to be looked
at"
Wherever dates are used in a
computerized operation the system
should be looked at. "Anything that
is calendar -dependant is a problem,"
he said. One food company had an
automated warehouse system that
saw the computer automatically order
discarding of any product bcyond its
"best before" date. When the first
products with a best before date in
the year 2000 arrived, the computer
read the two -digit 00 code as 1900,
and ordered them thrown out becuase
it thought they were 100 years old.
Ask yourself what problems you
would have in your business if the
system went down, Morris said. Do
computers perform a critical function
Advice
in your business? If dates don't
matter, you may be able to carry on
by setting the date back on the
computer's date clock.
If date -specific information (like
accounting) programs arc used, you
may upgrade to a new application
and retire the old program. Perhaps
you can get someone outside thc
company to do the work and let them
solve the problems. Some large
companies may decide it's cheaper to
merge with another company and
have them solve the problem than to
do it themselves.
Don't depend on the suppliers of
software to fix the problem. A few
software companies may declare
bankruptcy rather than face lawsuits
from clients who want them to pay
the cost of fixing the problem in thcir
computer programs.
The problem involves more than
computers. Many thousands of
machines and appliances from
thermostats to telephones to
microwaves have imbedded chips.
It's estimate that only a fraction 01'
these have chips that will recognize a
change in date but thc problem is
figuring out which arc vulnerable and
which aren't. It requires finding out
which machines have them, if they
will be affected and fixing any that
do have a problem.
Even if you solve the problems
within your own company, you need
to be prepared for problems others
encounter. What about customers
who have computerized accounts
payable systems who can't or don't
pay their bills because their system
fails? Some companies may choose
to stockpile inventory in case there is
a problem getting supplies. It may
mean that orders for a product go up
before the cnd of 1999, then stagnate
in early 2000 as people use up
inventory.
You need to talk to your suppliers
and customers about their year 20(X)
readiness, Morris said. Some
companies have made changes in thc
computer programs but have said
they aren't going to do any further
testing. But altering a program
involves changing thousands of
commands among the millions of
commands in each program. The
possibility for making a mistake is
great and the mistake may not turn
up without prolonged testing.
And you need to assure customers
that you arc prepared for the
problem. Nervous customers may go
elsewhere if they think you aren't
prepared to deal with the problem.
Thcrc are legal implications.
Companies who can't prove they
have taken all possible precautions in
preparing may be judged negligent if
their non-compliance hurts thcir
business associates. The courts, he
predicted, will be tied up for years in
lawsuits.
Morris urged business pcoplc to
tackle the problem as quickly as
possible. Unlike other problems there
is a definite deadline for dealing with
this one. January 1, 200( will be too
latc. As time goes by the cost
escalates because technicians who
can solve the problem will become
more and more busy. Indeed, time
may run out for some business
owners.
Industry Canada and CIBC have
co-operated in setting up a program
undcr which computer students will
help small businesses audit possible
• year 2000 problems and correct
them. The cost is S 195 for up to 10
computers. The Student Connection
Program can be reached at 1-888-
807-7777 or at www.scp.cbh.com on
the intcrnct.0
New rules in effect
for sprayers
Farmers renewing spray licences
this wintcr can take a health and
safety course that will become
mandatory in the year 2000.
Even if you aren't one of the
8,(X)0 farmers who need to get spray
licenses renewed this winter, you
may be wise to send family members
and employees to thc course.
Under changes in provincial
pesticide laws that take effect
January 1, 20(0, anybody who drives
a sprayer or uses a back -pack to spot
spray weed escapes will have to be
an approved Trained Agricultural
Assistant.
Currently, every farm needs one
certified license holder who can then
JANUARY 1999 41