A term used
especially by the computer industry to refer to the problems, challenges, and
issues involved in preparing computer systems and applications for transition
to, and operation in, the twenty-first century. For example, many
computer systems and applications use two digits to represent the year
("97" rather than 1997). When these computer systems and
applications encounter the digits "00" for the year 2000, they can
misinterpret this to mean the year 1900 and can produce computing errors or
fail to function. Although some systems and applications may not be
affected until the eve of the new millennium (on 31 December 1999), many
systems and applications that use future dates (such as expiration dates for
credit cards) have already experienced Year 2000 problems. This problem
could also affect such things as elevator controls; household appliances
such as VCRs and programmable coffee makers; heating, cooling, and
security systems; telephone calls; driver's licenses;
automated teller machines and bank vaults; and airline flight
schedules.
Year 2000 ready
A product is Year
2000 ready if the product, when used in accordance with its associated
documentation, is capable of correctly processing, providing, and/or receiving
date data within and between the twentieth and twenty-first centuries,
provided that all products (for example, hardware, software, and firmware)
used with the product properly exchange accurate date data with it.