X-Message-Number: 10625
Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 00:54:31 -0400
From: "Stephen W. Bridge" <>
Subject: Problems beyond Y2k

To CryoNet
From Steve Bridge
October 21, 1998
 
[My apologies for not posting this sooner.]
 
On October 8, Chris Allbritton of Associated Press wrote the following
article:
 
"THE EXPENSIVE PROBLEMS DON'T END --
  LOOKING BEYOND THE Y2K FIX"
 
Allbritton reports on two other major computer reprogrammings that must
take place BEFORE Y2K, which will delay Y2K programming even further for
some companies.
 
One expert said that "Starting next year, date and data
corrections will dominate the software industry, and the
repairs will cost $5 trillion over the years 1999 to 2050.
He predicted these problems, along with Y2K, will damage the
software industry for a generation."
 
1.  "The European Monetary Union will begin its conversion to
the euro currency Jan. 1, 1999, and union countries are
scheduled to phase out national currencies in 2004.
The euro conversion is the second largest software
challenge in the world behind the Y2K problem, said Jones,
and it's more sophisticated. Instead of changing every date
in a computer system with a single deadline looming,
computer systems have to be able to handle the different
ways the 11 union countries change over. "
 
2.   "In the period between the euro conversion and Jan. 1,
2000, the belt of 24 satellites making up the Global
Positioning System is programmed to reset its date system.
This could cause problems in navigation and power plants,
and even in the calculation of interest for international
financial transactions. "
 
Apparently this system is used to "synchronize some electrical
power plants and large international transfers of funds.
Jones worries that the rollover might cause some plants to
quit working, and interest payments on the transfers could
be thrown off. "   The fix is not hard but a lot of people have
overlooked it completely.
 
   "Because of the rollover's timing, computer systems handling
large financial systems will need to be checked for euro,
GPS date and Y2K compliance all at the same time."
 
 
3.  And if that's not enough, in about 10 years, the United
States will run out of phone numbers.  We'll either have to add another
layer of pre-area-codes (for a 12 or 13-digit phone number) or come up
with some new technology to allow us to use the numbers we have in
different ways.  Either one will take a lot of re-programming.
 
For copyright reasons, I have not reproduced the entire article.  You can
find it at:
 
http://www.abcnews.com/sections/tech/DailyNews/y2k_beyond981008.html
 
 
Please read the full article for the details.  I am now somewhat more
concerned about the European financial situation in 2000 than I was
before.  Chaos in that arena could affect the US market -- and thus the
investments of cryonics companies.
 
Steve Bridge

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