ISSUE 1567 Thursday 9 September 1999

Prepare today for an indefinite future By Robert Uhlig, Technology Correspondent TODAY'S date - 9/9/99 - could cause computer programs to stop working or to believe that the indefinite future has arrived.

Known as a "magic number", 9/9/99 is most often used by computer programmers to mean the end of a file. It could prompt bank accounts to be closed or systems to shut down, but so far only two cases of 9/9/99 have been found.

Nevertheless, Britain's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate has asked all nuclear operators to prepare contingency plans and coastguard emergency vessels have been placed on alert in case ships break down.

American federal computers will be undergoing precautionary tests and China is shutting down its only automated exchange for corporate shares. Police are reported to be on standby in some countries.

For many, it will be seen as a dry run for the Millennium bug. But Don Cruickshank, chairman of Action 2000, the Millennium bug watchdog, said any disruption would be minor compared with that expected on Dec 31.

21 August 1999: Whitehall Millennium bug checks running late

17 August 1999: Armed Forces #700m system slips on a Millennium banana skin

13 July 1999: Millennium bug may hit financial institutions

9 July 1999: Millennium bug threat to councils

1 July 1999: Passport crisis blamed on Millennium bug

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 09, 1999