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The Year 2000 Computer Problem - Issues for Small Jurisdictions

by Fred Ward, MRSC Manager of Library & Information Services
April 1998

First of all, what is the Year 2000 problem?

To conserve storage space in the early days of computing, years were stored as two digits rather than as four (for example, 98 rather than 1998) in computer programs. If your software programs are not updated to handle four digits, then calculations involving dates could be incorrect, affecting a variety of your financial and database systems. A sEcond problem with the Year 2000 will occur because the clocks in many personal computers store years as two digits and have no place holder for the millennium value of a year, requiring that you update your hardware. Further, the Year 2000 is a leap year, but the rules governing computing dates will fail to recognize 2000 as a leap year.

What does the Year 2000 problem mean for small cities, towns, and counties within Washington State?

For the purpose of this briefing, "small" will be used to describe jurisdictions having only personal computers that may or may not be networked, off-the-shelf application software (such as Microsoft Excel or Access), and a limited number of customized programs maintained by vendors such as ASP or Eden Systems.

The Year 2000 problem does not just affect a few financial records. It is a widespread problem with many other implications. Local government could experience problems, for example, in the following areas:

• Property sales misdated
• Jury records in error
• Real estate transactions misdated
• Birth, marriage, divorce records misdated
• Traffic ticket dates incorrect in computers
• Traffic light synchronization disrupted
• Court dates in error
• Permit and license expiration dates incorrect
• Process control equipment in water and sewer plants disrupted
• Telephone systems disrupted
• Elevator and HVAC systems disrupted [The Year 2000 Software Problem: Quantifying the Costs and Assessing the Consequences, Capers Jones, Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, November 1997.]

What can you do about the Year 2000 problem?

Short Checklist for Personal Computers

1. Test your computers, including servers, for Year 2000 compatibility. Contact MRSC for a diskette that you can use to perform this test. Computers purchased before 1996 are the mostlikely to be incompatible, but newer computers may be incompatible as well. Some higher-end computersand servers have "Flash BIOS" which can update for Year 2000 compatibility with software from the manufacturer.

2. Update older versions of off-the-shelf spreadsheet, word processing, and database software, particularly older DOS (non-Windows)-based programs.

3. Contact vendors of customized software that you use for your financial or database systems to be sure that their software is programmed to handle the Year 2000.

4. Be sure that any databases or spreadsheets that you set up yourself do not use two-digit years in calculations. Contact a programming consultant if necessary.

5. For Windows 95 and Windows 3.1, change the internal DATE system setting as follows (excerpted from city of Bellevue Year 2000 strategic plan):

   For PCs with Windows 95 installed:

   1. Choose START from the Windows 95 desktop.
   2. Select SETTINGS, CONTROL PANEL, and REGIONAL SETTINGS.
   3. Choose the DATE tab, and change the Short date style from "M/D/YY" to "MM/DD/YYY".
   4. Click on OK, then Exit SETTINGS.

   For PCs with Windows 3.1 installed:

   1. On the Menu Bar, select GROUP.
   2. Select MAIN, CONTROL PANEL, INTERNATIONAL.
   3. Choose the Date Format (Change...).
   4. On the Short Format select Century box, then OK.
   5. Click on OK, then Exit MAIN.

Year 2000 resources in the MRSC Library

Available for loan to Washington cities, towns, and counties:

• Year 2000 Strategic Plan, City of Bellevue Department of Information Services, Revised August 1, 1997.

• The Year 2000 Problem: When the Clock Turns, Be Ready!, edited by Renee M. Winsky and Nathan M. Ridnouer, Washington, D.C.: National League of Cities, 1997.

• The Year 2000 Software Problem: Quantifying the Costs and Assessing the Consequences, Capers Jones, Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, November 1997.

• The Year 2000 Software Systems Crisis: Challenge of the Century, Yourdon Press Computing Series, William M. Ulrich, and Ian S. Hayes, Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1997.

• Year 2000 Solutions for Dummies (For Dummies); Kelly C. Bourne, Foster City, Calif.: IDG Books Worldwide, 1997.

Resources on the Web

Those of you with access to the Web may find the following Web sites helpful:

Washington State Year 2000 Program Information Resource Center
Offers resources to assist Washington state and local governments in meeting this challenge. Prepared by the Washington State Department of Information Services, the site includes a calendar of upcoming Year 2000 events, news, links to related sites and a page devoted to tools, methods, and resources. (www.wa.gov/dis/2000/y2000.htm)

New York State's Office for Technology Year 2000 Web Page
This site offers a variety of resources for state and local government agencies and includes a link to an extensive list of other Year 2000 sites. (www.oft.state.ny.us)

The Year 2000 Information Center
This site provides a forum for disseminating information about the Year 2000 problem and for the discussion of possible solutions. The site has extensive content, including articles, current events, and news. (www.year2000.com)

ITAA's Year 2000 Home Page
The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) offers a large information resource with publications, a weekly newsletter, a calendar of events, and a Year 2000 vendor directory. (www.itaa.org/year2000.htm)

Year 2000 Consultants

The Washington State Department of Information Services (DIS) maintains a list of Year 2000 consultants on its Web site (www.wa.gov/dis/2000/fixers/Default2.html). If you do not have access to the Web, please contact MRSC for assistance in locating a consultant. You must have a Customer Services Agreement to purchase services off the DIS contract.

DIS Service Agreements for Year 2000 Programming Services

The Department of Information Services, Administrative Services Division (DIS/ASD) has entered into Optional Use Purchased Service Agreements for Year 2000 Programming Services with the vendors listed under various categories of services on the DIS Web site. The document describes what government agencies seeking to use these contracts must do to complete the process. DIS has sought to make Year 2000 programming services contracting as simple as possible for agencies.