The Y2K Clock Is Ticking...  Are You Ready?
Pennsylvania a National Leader in Y2K Readiness.



by
Dr. Fred Loomis, Executive Director, Pa2K Educational Outreach, The
Pennsylvania State University



Fewer than 130 days remain until the dawning of the years 2000. By now you've
heard that the change from 1999 to 2000 may create some problems for society
because of what has come to be known as "The Y2K Millennium Bug."

While this "bug" is seen primarily as a computer problem, it actually goes
well beyond computers. In fact, the Y2K situation has the potential to disrupt
businesses, health care systems, local, state and federal governments, and
utilities, among many other things.

Because no one knows for sure how computers, networks, vital machines and
systems are going to react when we move in the new year, the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania has been encouraging its citizens to take precautions and to
prepare in case there are disruptions in services, however minor they may be.

By now, most everyone knows the Y2K problem was born many years ago when
programmers decided to save money and computer memory by expressing dates with
two digit years. You probably do this yourself often. When you write a check,
your dates probably look like this: 
08/31/99?

The computer systems, networks, personal computers and embedded computer chips
which see dates with two-digit years may become confused when the clock
strikes 12:01 a.m. 2000.  Why? Simple. They will not be able to distinguish
between the years 1900 and 2000. That confusion may lead system failures,
corrupted data, lost data, or improper calculations.

Complicating matters are the computer chips that are the computer chips that
are embedded - built into - many of the modern conveniences, tools and
machines we all use and depend upon. Believe it or not, things from elevators
to fax machines, copiers, telephones, air conditioning systems, and automatic
teller machines depend upon chips that may not operate properly when we enter
the new year.

A great deal has been written about this situation. Some alarmists see
potential disaster in the Y2K bug. On the other hand, many other writers and
public speakers dismiss the situation entirely. Many individuals would prefer
to ignore the Y2K bug and hope for the best in the new year.

Neither of these options is the prudent choice for responding to Y2K. That's
why the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, through its Office of Information
Technology, has been working for the past few years to ensure that essential
systems in our state operate the way they need to on January 1, 2000. Together
with the Government of Canada, AT&T, and The Pennsylvania State University,
the state's leaders have been working to help Pennsylvania citizens, local
governments, and businesses prepare for Y2K . The goal is to minimize any
negative impact that the turn of the clock may bring. Everyone has a role to
play in ensuring that we experience the least disruption possible.

The Commonwealth and its partners have created a wealth of materials and
information that you can use to prepare for Y2K. Whether you're a business
person seeking to maintain a smooth operation through the new year, a local
official who wants to help his community take responsible action to get ready
for 2000, or a consumer who would like the latest information on dealing with
this situation, you will find what you need on the Pa2K website.

You can access the site at: http://www.pa2k.org.  If you are not able to visit
the web site, you can call, toll free, 1-877-PA2K-NOW, or 1-877-722-5669.

Next time, we'll pay a visit to the Pa2K website. When it  comes to Y2K,
there's still time to act responsible to protect your family, business, and
community.