• What do I need to know about the Year 2000?
  
• What is the issue?
  
• How might Year 2000 affect me?
  
• Am I at risk?
  
• What does "Year 2000 compliant" mean?
  
• Is my computer Year 2000 ready?
  
• Is my operating system Year 2000 ready?
  
• What if my software is not Year 2000 ready?
  
• Is the Business Internet service ready for the year 2000?
  
• Will my Business Internet software still work?
  
• Will my e-mail still work?
  
• Will I be able to connect to the Internet?
  
• More about "Year 2000" on the Web
  

The year 2000 approaches! While for some this is an arbitrary turn of the century demarcation, for any of us who are using computers and computer software, we have cause to be concerned about what's called "Year 2000 readiness" (or Year 2000 compliancy -- whether a computer can accommodate the date change to the year 2000).

The information provided here is for your interest only, and in no way constitutes any legal guarantees about user computer hardware or Internet software; you are responsible for ensuring your computer and software are Year 2000 ready.

The Year 2000 issue concerns computer software, its abilities to work properly with dates on and beyond January 1, 2000, and the consequences if it does not. It is also referred to colloquially as "the millennium bug", "the Year 2000 bug", and "Y2K".

The issue is a result of computers and software using two digits instead of four to represent dates (for instance, "67" for the year 1967). This was not a mistake, but was originally done by computer programmers in the 1960s to save expensive memory and to avoid data input errors.

One of the biggest challenges in understanding the Year 2000 problem is separating hype from reality. It's difficult to know who to believe when it seems that everyone is in a position to make universal claims about what will actually happen on January 1, 2000. Articles are appearing with increasing frequency in computer and technology publications, and in other popular media. The prognosis ranges between two extremes -- from minor setbacks to technological armageddon, depending on whom you believe.

The best answer is to gather information yourself and make your own judgements.

The Year 2000 issue will affect everyone in some way, since in our daily lives we all rely on services that are supported by computer-based systems. In it's role as your Internet Service Provider, the Business Internet service is concerned that its members' computers and Internet software be Year 2000 ready so as to minimize your not being able to connect to the Internet on and after January 1, 2000.

You must assess whether your computer and the software on it (including your Internet software) are "Year 2000 ready". This can be as simple as consulting your local computer retailer or software publisher(recommeded for beginners), or as involved as testing your computer and software yourself (advanced).

This is a way of measuring whether time-reliant software will work properly on and after January 1, 2000. Basically, if software is used with an operating system (Windows 3.1, Windows 95/98, MacOS) which relies on an internal clock to maintain date and time, so long as the software AND your operating system will operate with the clock set to December 31, 1999, January 1, 2000, February 28, 2000, February 29, 2000, and March 1, 2000 or later (the year 2000 is a leap year), it is deemed to be "Year 2000 compliant" (these are the dates typically used to test year 2000 compliance). Since most software works in conjunction with your computer hardware and with other software on your hard drive (e.g. your word processor needs an operating system to work), if at least one piece of your software is not "Year 2000 ready", then some or all your software may not work on those dates.

There is a plethora of Year 2000 testing software available on the Internet, which can simulate the change of date on your computer's clock and advise you as to whether your computer is Year 2000 ready, and in some cases, apply a patch if necessary. As always, with software you obtain over the Internet, caveat emptor (buyer beware). The Business Internet service does not provide or recommend any such software.

"Year 2000 Ready" means software is prepared to work with dates on and after January 1, 2000, but requires some other software to change and work correctly with the date of your computer's clock. You may have to change the date yourself if it does not "rollover" correctly at midnight December 31, 1999, to January 1, 2000.

How do I know if my computer is Year 2000 ready?

According to Apple, Macintosh users have had Year 2000 ready computers since 1984 (the computer chips are able to count up to the year 2040). According to Apple, current Macintosh and Power Macintosh computers are also Year 2000 ready (they can count up to the year 29,940).

PC users with older computers will want to check with the manufacturer (most have their own Web sites) for information about their model. Newer PCs are likely already Year 2000 ready, but the only way to know is to check with the manufacturer's Web site, or consult your local computer retailer.

How do I know if my operating system is Year 2000 ready?

According to Apple, Macintosh users have had Year 2000 ready operating systems since 1984.

PC users using the Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems should check the Microsoft Web site for news about how to check whether the edition of your Windows operating system you have is Year 2000 ready.

If some of my software is not Year 2000 ready, how do I know if that matters?

Ultimately, you'll only know by using your software on and after January 1, 2000. Prior to then, you'll have to deduce for yourself, by visiting your software publishers' Web sites for Year 2000 news about the specific software (and version) you're using.

The Business Internet service providers have done everything they believe necessary to ensure that their dialup access and network infrastructures are Year 2000 ready, and will function as the clock turns to the year 2000, and thereafter.

The Business Internet software, which includes Netscape Communicator 4.x, will work.

It is important to note, however, that proper operation of your Business Internet Internet software on and after January 1, 2000 is only assured under the following conditions:

• your computer's operating system in use supports proper operation (is Year 2000 ready) on that date;
• your modem and modem software must also support proper operation (be Year 2000 ready) on that date.

Will my e-mail still work and will I be able to send and receive as usual?

Yes, so long as your e-mail software is Year 2000 ready. If you use Netscape Messenger (a component of Netscape Communicator), according to Netscape, your e-mail software is Year 2000 ready.

Will I still be able to connect to the Internet?

Yes, so long as your modem and modem software supports proper operation (is Year 2000 ready).

• The Canadian Federal Government Year 2000 Information Site
• Industry Canada's Year 2000 Readiness site
  
• Preparing for the Year 2000 crash
• ITU (International Telecommunication Union) Year 2000 clearing house