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The “millennium bug” was a problem caused by two-digit year codes, which could have crashed computers in 2000. Instead of a permanent fix, programmers used a temporary solution called “windowing,” which is causing issues in 2020. The Year 2 issue has resurfaced, affecting systems such as parking meters and cash registers. The programmers predict potential problems in 2038.
Remember the worldwide panic in computer programming circles in the months leading up to Year 2? The so-called “millennium bug” would have crashed computers around the world, taken programs and systems offline, frozen bank accounts and generally wreak havoc on otherwise orderly computing operations.
The problem stemmed from the way the years were coded with two-digit designations. The fear was that when we got to the year 2000, the “00” would throw everything back to 1900.
Instead of finding a permanent fix, however, many programmers went the extra mile and created a 20-year-old fix. Long story short, the Year 2 issue resurfaced in January 2020, wreaking havoc in systems ranging from parking meters and cash registers to video games.
In preparation for the year 2000, programmers could have completely rewritten the code, but many instead used a quick fix called “windowing.” This temporary fix affects all 00-20 dates from the 2000s, rather than 1900. But now that we’ve hit the 2020 threshold, dates in some systems are going back 100 years.
Return of Year 2:
About 80% of computers repaired in 1999 used the fastest and cheapest solution. The theory was that these windowed systems would be outdated by the 2020s, but many are still in use. The programmers predict potential problems that will recur in the year 2038.
As a result of the “Y2020 bug”, some bills were reportedly produced with an incorrect date of 1920.
Similarly, tens of thousands of parking meters in New York City declined credit card transactions due to the date issue.
