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.