I knew someone who worked on a year 2000 project. I was in school at the time.
He started this job around 1997 and believe it officially ended around Aug 2000.<p>He worked for oil and gas sites with relations to big companies like BP etc. He was checking all systems being used - ranging from 2 to 25 years old. maybe more.<p>I was learning C programming at the time so was (barely) able to have a conversation with him. I found it very interesting. If I was a few years older he might have been given a low pay job to get my foot in the door.<p>Not once did he portray this as some kind of 'doom' like scenario but expressed potential problems if not dealt with - and that was his job. He focused on software used on oil rigs along with oil/gas sites.<p>There was a Sega Saturn in the room and used this as an example. Pointing at it, he said there are 3 outcomes to consider. I think there was more to it than that but was making the point to (me) a 14 year old.<p>1) It wont have any problems going into year 2000 and over.
2) The internal clock does not go from 1999 to 2000. Instead, it goes 1999 to 1900.
3) Or - The console stops working entirely when it reaches year 2000.<p>If the outcome was 2) - the console will likely still work fine. Worst case is some games could stop working if using the internal clock. Another example is saved game data being a problem.<p>He didn't think the Saturn would have outcome 3) but if it did stop working - it isn't the end of the world. A lot of parents will be complaining but thats it. Its just a games console.<p>He then said to think of other computer systems out there. Think about electricity powering your home. Think about your boiler. Think about the london underground or aeroplanes. Think about banks or hospitals. There are computers doing far more important things than the Sega Saturn. A number of these machines could be more than 15 years old. Back then we would be talking about programs originally created in 1985.<p>I remember having this conversation with kids in my school who were the "computer whizz" kids at that time. I was a nobody as I never presented my skills on computers. I am shocked at their attitude towards it. They would always interrupt me, laughing at me, because I wasn't part of their cliq. Because of their reputation in school, even the teachers were siding with them smirking. Their argument was always about the Windows 95/98 PC's in front of them. They did not think about the bigger picture. Software written in COBOL from past days still being used.<p>The joke of Y2K is not recent. It was a joke back then as well. It was either a joke or fearmongering. Majority sided with one (non computer people) or the other (many who thought they did)<p>Still we have 2038 - :-)