Solution to Y2K Problem Developed At Hebrew University

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http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/990914/hebrew_uni_1.html

Just in the nick of time, too!

[For educational purposes. This "silver bullet" shall save the world! I'm doing my part to publicize it!! Time to sell all of my preps!!!]

JERUSALEM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 14, 1999--A solution to the Y2K problem, applicable to ALL databases, has been developed by Ben-Etzion Yaron, of the Department of Computerized Information Systems at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

The development provides an exacting and speedy solution to most problems that may develop in operation of large information-processing systems at the approach of the year 2000, thus preventing possible crises in the operations of banks, insurance companies, government offices, payroll operations and other systems.

Announcement of the new Y2K solution was made today at the Hebrew University by Prof. Danny Dolev, head of the University's new School of Computers and Engineering and Ben-Etzion Yaron. Also participating in the press conference were Jack (Yaki) Dunietz, CEO of Magic Software Enterprises Ltd., an international concern which supplies computerized solutions for companies worldwide, and Oren Inbar, managing director of MSE Israel. Magic has entered into an agreement with the Hebrew University to market and distribute the new product.

Yaron explained that his solution for the Y2K problem compresses four digits for the years 2000 (and years following) into two symbols, without interfering with any years up to the year 2000. It accomplishes this by utilizing special algorithms for expanding two symbols into four digits and for compressing four digits into two symbols.

The solution can be applied to all computer languages and used with all computers. It is estimated that the time required to convert databases to deal with the year 2000 problem with this new solution is 15-20% of the time required using other solutions.

Ben-Etzion also has developed a program called Sapir 2000 which makes possible analysis of Cobol programs and prepares them for speedy conversion to cope with the Y2K problem. This program can also identify errors in other programs that may have already been implemented as solution for the Y2K problem, thus providing a kind of ``second opinion'' for those who want to check as to whether already applied solutions have succeeded. In addition, it enables corrections to be made, if necessary.

In addition to dealing with the year 2000 problem, the new program can also be applied to other situations requiring expansion of existing information to incorporate additional digits.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact:

Ben-Etzion Yaron, Telephone: 02-6585495, 052-602740 E-mail: benezion@mm.huji.ac.il or Prof. Danny Dolev, Telephone: 02-6584116 or Jerry Barach, Foreign Press Liaison Telephone: 02-5882904

-- regular (zzz@z.z), September 14, 1999

Answers

Using a HEX$ function for a 2Digit date is old hat, and is not applicable to a UNIVERSAL solution.... but if the money is good.... Let the buyer beware....

-- helium (heliumavid@yahoo.com), September 14, 1999.

Of course, there is only the minor matter of the embedded chips left... (If you believe that the above could work for all systems in all programming languages, I've got this bridge I can sell really cheaply...)

www.y2ksafeminnesota.com

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), September 14, 1999.


While working late in my cell...errrr...I mean 'Lab' last night I discovered a formula for growing hair, I've already tested it on the palm of my hand, any buyers?

-- Porky (Porky@in.cellblockD), September 14, 1999.

Porky, stop doing that, your going to go blind.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), September 14, 1999.

Oh yeah,

We've got a DB which uses only 2 bytes to store dates in DDDYY format utilising unsigned binary data, I'd like to see him fit a century in there somewhere! (We're windowing).

RonD

-- Ron Davis (rdavis@ozemail.com.au), September 15, 1999.



Not possible to have *one* solution to *all* languages and DBs. Period.

-TECH32-

-- TECH32 (TECH32@NOMAIL.COM), September 15, 1999.


Tech32 is correct. This "solution" is laughable. Anyone who accepts it simply doesn't understand the problem. There are algorithms that solve some problems in some systems. Some of the time, those solutions are even fairly simple. But each is different, each has to be individually studied. And in some cases, the simplest solution still poses horrendous problems. There is no silver bullet ... get used to it.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), September 15, 1999.

Ron,

I got ya beat. At a previous job, the YY MM and DD parts were each made binary, and tthe whole thing "packed" into 2 bytes. 7+4+5 = 16 bits. No problem there, huh?

Isn't it a little late in the game for new "tools" folks?

Tick... Tock... <:00=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), September 15, 1999.


My analogy to the impossibility of a "Y2K Silver Bullet" is the human body - that you could take a single pill that would cure everything and anything. Cancer, broken arm, bloody nose, muscle cramps, diabetes, whatever. You take the pill and you are healed. Not gonna happen.

-- Jim (x@x.x), September 15, 1999.

My analogy for DWGI's to the impossibility of a "Y2K Silver Bullet" is the human body - that you could take a single pill that would cure everything and anything. Cancer, broken arm, bloody nose, muscle cramps, diabetes, whatever. You take the pill and you are healed. Not gonna happen.

-- Jim (x@x.x), September 15, 1999.


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