The Computer's lack of understanding Year 2000!
BACKGROUND: Almost every computer program uses one or very many date fields. The data that was routinely captured for the YEAR field was limited to 2 characters. The "19" was assumed to be the first two characters of the four digit year and the data contained in the two digit data field completed the last two digits of the year. The data was always entered as numerals.
With the year 2000 approaching, we are faced with computers not being able to determine year 2000 from 1900!! This will have sever affects on all of us, if not remedied!! The "fix" could require reprogramming almost every program AND reentering the data for each.
Well enough of the background, I think we all understand the problem. So lets go to my solution. You may use this solution and pass it along to anyone. However, I do ask that I be given credit as its originator and that my email address be included when you pass it on. Thank-you
SOLUTION:
By using ALPHA characters rather than NUMERICAL for the year date field for the year 2000, the problem could be at least solved for the next 100 years to come. We would not be faced with the DEADLINE of January 2000! A simple routine would have to be placed in each program that would automatically interpret any NUMERICAL date field to be 19XX and any ALPHA to be 20XX.
For example: A = 0 B = 1 C = 2 D = 3 and so on! Therefore, a date year field that is coded AA would be interpreted to be the year 2000.
If you use the next 10 letters starting at "K", and let them represent 21XX, the problem could be solved for another 100 years.
My email: cfr5@aol.com
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