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You've hit the nail on the head. Computers don't know much of anything, it turns out. They simply follow instructions really, really well. And it seems that certain computers and computer programs were never instructed to remember the first two digits of the year. So in those cases, the computer can't differentiate the year 1900 from the year 2000, and in fact has been programmed to assume that any date it deals with is in the 1900s. But why, you ask? Back in the 60s and 70s, making a computer remember only two numbers instead of four saved time and, more importantly, saved memory, which you may recall was a bit harder to come by in decades past. But will it affect me, you ask? Well sir, that's the 62-dollar question if ever there was one. The short answer is: you should probably
look around and see for yourself. Beyond that, there's probably not much you can do. As for the global implications, opinions vary. Two Year 2000 FAQs (http://unix.cc.wmich.edu/rea/Y2K/FAQ.html and http://www.comlinks.com/mag/faq.htm) provide a good example. Both are well reasoned and factual, but the first one offers a fairly laid-back outlook on the situation. The latter, on the other hand, takes a much darker view, raising the possibility of massive failures in banking, utilities, and other important industries. In any case, there's not much use deciding whether to be an optimist or a pessimist -- it's probably best to just roll
up your sleeves and make sure that any major computer systems that are in your care are "up to date" by the end of next year. To see if the problem will affect you or your business, check out the Year 2000 Information Center or the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion, where you'll find articles and other Net resources relating to the issue and proposed solutions.
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