STORY:
Government Prepares for 9-9-99

Date will be dress rehearsal for potential Y2K bug problems

Throughout the world, officials in charge of solving the computer Y2K crisis will be up early on Thursday Sept. 9 to see if computers malfunction on the 9-9-99 date. They see it as a good chance to practice their Y2K contingency plans should problems arise.

The fear is that some computers may translate Sept. 9, 1999, as a "9999" stop-program command. Although few Y2K advisers expect major problems such as widespread electrical outages, no one is ruling out the possibility of smaller disruptions.

In the US, several electric utilities reportedly will conduct a major drill, beginning Wednesday night, to make sure workers understand contingency plans created for problems on January 1 according to the Associated Press. Some banks will spend Thursday testing techniques to spot and report Y2K trouble, while President Clinton's Y2K czar John Koskinen will collect status reports. An international Y2K group will monitor other nations.

The Coast Guard will add supervisors to keep navigational channels open, and the Transportation Department is assembling a team normally mobilized only during natural disasters. Despite widespread concerns of flight failures, the airline industry will not be setting up a command center to monitor the situation on 9-9-99.

A similar date that could have triggered a 9999 stop-program command passed without incident. April 9th was the 99th day of the 99th year in computer terminology.

Source: Associated Press

DATE: 9/03/99

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