Can any one tell me if the date 9/9/99 has been tested on critical computers or not? If so, what happened?

-- R. J. Renolds (Y2KEYES@open.com), August 29, 1999

Answers

Most Y2K testing involved testing specific dates throughout the year that were deemed potential problems. 9/9/99 was one of those dates tested in my organization, but as expected, no problems occurred. 9/9/99 really isn't a problem. In terms of data storage, the computer reads it as "090999" or "90999", so the purported problems relating to end of file markers such as "9999" will not occur.

-- David Bowerman (dbowerman@blazenet.net), August 29, 1999.

Unless of course you are storing dates in text fields like a lot of mid-ranges and mainframe programs that I know about do.

-- Beckie (sunshine_horses@yahoo.com), August 29, 1999.

Well, I see Bob Mangus is back around. Maybe you should ask him?

(And maybe ask about the Southwestern Bell "shutdown", too)

-- Hoffmeister (hoff_meister@my-deja.com), August 29, 1999.

If 9/9/99 isn't such a big deal, why is Englan so concerned?

This is from the London Timees(July 18)

link: http:www.sunday_times.co.uk/news/pagees/sti/99/07/18/s

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snip

The extent of the military's role has been disclosed as thee armed services prepare for the critical date of September 9, or 9/9/99,when thee scalee of the computer choas could become apparent.

"The operation is designed to ensure that essential goverment and civilan functions can continue between September and Feruary next year,which is the period of danger.It's a real threat and highly classified," said the source.

A decision on whether leave for the armes services should be canceled over the millennium will bee taken after September,when the extent of the problem could emerge.

snip

-- maggie (aaa@aaa.com), August 29, 1999.

Please, forgive the spelling.

-- maggie (aaa@aaa.com), August 29, 1999.

* * * 19990829 Sunday

Most legacy systems predating structured programming techniques--and still running, thanks to innumerable migrations from one platform to many others--contain horrible coding and are not documented!

Fields are "loaded"--multi-purpose!--and use the data for different purposes contingent upon the contents AND/OR a "trigger" field elsewhere in the data (record/set) that sets off a sequence of events.

The early programmers could get ugly with their code.

The possible iterations are limited by the creativity of the designer.

The 09/09/99, 9/9/99, etc. EOF (End Of File) dates are buried in a lot of old systems and testing the real-time systems can be impossible to test as a practical matter. ( Can't have the critical production system down AND don't have an otherwise "real" system to use for testing identical configurations.

I am aware (firsthand) that the Michigan State Police Emergency Management Division--responisble as "first responders" at 4 nuclear plants here in Michigan--are holding their breath until 9/9/99 passes.

The "Nines" event will be something to watch VERY CLOSELY.

Regards, Bob Mangus

* * *

-- Robert Mangus (rmangus@hotmail.com), August 29, 1999.

I think there is one area that is constantly overlooked with regard to the specific 09/09/99 or 99/09/09 problem that people are NOT taking into account. It's also the reason why I think our government is seriously concerned...

Cyberterrorism.

In fact...the whole 9 problem may have essentially become a way to gage if there may be intentionally problematic code within systems placed there by consultants with dubious agendas.

Mike

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-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), August 29, 1999.

Err, ummm, yeah.

For further illumination, see this thread:

HELLO! ... Southwestern Bell ... Shutdown Date of Sept 1, 1999?!?

-- Hoffmeister (hoff_meister@my-deja.com), August 29, 1999.

I have no words to say how happy I will be when The Dreaded Nines have come and gone.

-- Lane Core Jr. (elcore@sgi.net), August 29, 1999.

Bob,

Help me out here please. Even in the absence of structured programming, I can't imagine how someone would store a date in any field, even text-formatted, where they could store the day as single digits and expect to use the date again. For example, if you store 12/11/99, I could easily see how it would appear as "121199" in a text field -- it could easily be retrieved and used again. BUT, if you attempt to store 12/1/99 in the same way ("12199"), how would you know whether it is 1/21/99 or 12/1/99? I still may be missing something, but I think ANY stored date MUST at least store the day as a 2 position field or the entire date would be useless. To me, 9/9/99 must be stored as "090999" or possibly "90999". If you could provide an example, I would appreciate it. I'm not discounting the possibility of problems on September 9th, but I think it is going to be rare to none.

Thanks for your time sir.

David (aka BankPacman)

-- David Bowerman (dbowerman@blazenet.net), August 29, 1999.