On The Net, Year 2000 Apocalypse Is A Big Deal

 

By Jeff Frentzen, PC Week

 

After Dec. 31, 1999, many corporate computer systems will stop working effectively. Companies' accounts payable and receivables systems will not be able to process money transactions adequately. According to some, IT managers are largely unaware of the impending "apocalypse."

 

As explained in an informative article ("Apocalypse Explained") at CNet's Web site, "Millions of computers and billions of lines of code are currently incapable of recognizing the calendar's rollover from 1999 to 2000. At midnight on 01/01/00, many computers will start counting time all over again--from the beginning of the 20th century."

 

IT managers who are aware of year 2000 have a problem. They are having a tough time persuading upper management and the bean counters to cough up the big bucks to fix the affected systems.

 

If anything, IT managers should take the time to at least become familiar with how the year 2000 will affect their companies.

 

A good place to start your on-the-fly education is the appropriately named Year 2000 Information Center. This Web site is impeccably organized and probably the last word on the subject. Topics include technology resources, white papers and links to year 2000-savvy vendors that offer software or services. Check out the illuminating document, "What's All This Talk About Doomsday 2000?"

 

Another excellent source of information, the Information Technology Association of America, offers a variety of documents on year 2000 anxiety and solutions, with realistic projections and warnings for IT executives.

 

For those of you who live and die using IBM mainframes, IBM's Year 2000 Technical Support Center provides a relevant online discussion forum about converting IBM legacy systems to a new date format at the turn of the century.

 

A number of other popular hardware and software application vendors have joined one year 2000 committee or another to study the problem and/or offer support and services. Links to these resources can be found at most of the sites mentioned here.

 

CIO Magazine's Feature Forum: Year 2000 is a good IT-centric resource for companies looking for ways to deal with the year 2000.

 

Also, I recommend a document titled "From a CFO's Perspective," written by a working chief financial officer who implores IT departments and senior corporate management to wake up to the year 2000 problem.

 

If your time is limited and you want a bird's-eye assessment of what the year 2000 might mean for your company, read the Burkholder & Associates page listed in the chart. Write to Jeff via the Internet at jeff_frentzen@zd.com. A PREMIER RESOURCE on the year 2000 problem.

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Year 2000

 

Apocalypse Explained

 

www.cnet.com/Content/Features/Dlife/Apocalypse/ss01a.html

 

CNet's informative article on the year 2000 problem and how to avoid it

 

Burkholder & Associates

 

www.ibf.com.sg/y2k

 

Concise overview of the year 2000 problem

 

CIO's Feature Forum: Year 2000

 

www.cio.com/forums/year2k.html

 

Excellent IT-centric resource for companies looking for ways to deal with year 2000

 

From a CFO's Perspective

 

www.viasoft.com/y2k3cfo.htm

 

A chief financial officer pleads with IT and senior corporate management to wake up to the year 2000 problem

 

Information Technology Association of America

 

www.itaa.org/year2000.htm

 

ITAA's site includes a variety of documents on year 2000, with realistic projections and warnings for IT executives

 

Year 2000 Information Center

 

www.year2000.com

 

The premier Web site that includes technology resources, white papers and links to year 2000-savvy vendors

 

Year 2000 Technical Support Center

 

www.software.ibm.com./year2000/index.html

 

IBM's Web site and online discussion forum offer information about converting its legacy systems