TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

11th-Hour Y2K Fix

by Cliff Wright, O.D.

The year 2000 bug seems to feed into the most dire apocalyptic visions. By now, practically everyone from Wall Street to Main Street has sounded the alarm that a glitch in the way older software records dates could lead to major disruptions in how we live.

The task that corporate America has faced is certainly daunting. Some estimates place the amount of code that has to be checked at 1.2 trillion lines. Consultants have estimated that fixing this problem in the United States alone could cost up to $180 billion. Peter de Jager wrote in Scientific American last January that the task "will require a Herculean effort unprecedented in the history of computers." Others have predicted a deep recession for the world economy. No one knows for sure, but there are a few last-minute precautions you can take to prepare your office for this fateful day.

You know the nature of the Y2K problem by now. In order to save expensive memory space, computer programmers in the 1950s expressed years by using two digits instead of four. This means that computers and devices that are not Y2K-compliant could recognize 2000 as 1900. The Y2K problem exists in large corporate computers, desktop workstations and home PCs. It also exists in so-called "embedded systems"—the little chips that control everything from your VCR to electric power plants. The U.S. government is expected to spend $6 billion on this problem.

Optometrists have the same concerns as governments and large corporations: Will our office systems work when we open up on Monday January 3, 2000? It won't be any fun to have our accounts receivable or schedules turned upside down.

Risks for O.D.s
Y2K will affect your business in many ways. Some you can control, and for things like PCs, networking equipment, peripherals and software, you still have time. Here are a few last-minute items you need to know.

• Hardware. Older equipment does not have the BIOS or clock chip that helps them understand four-digit dates. Generally, hardware that you purchased during 1999 will be OK, but you must check to be sure. You can get free diagnostic software off the Internet at http://cgi.zdnet.com/zdy2k/y2k.pl or http://www.microsoft.com/Y2K. If you're not yet on the 'Net, you can purchase one of several popular software packages that perform these tests. They cost around $70. 
   
• Software. Determining your Y2K exposures in software is more complex. Some software won't support years after 1999. Other seemingly compliant software can be rendered non-compliant by data or calculations based on two-digit years. For most off-the-shelf software, you can upgrade to a compliant version, but always check vendor compliance statements. For optometric office management software, you will need to contact the developer or visit its web site to determine Y2K compliance. Your decision to upgrade an existing product or switch to a new product will depend on costs of your current system vs. a new one. Ask about combo packages that include hardware, software and data conversion. Many doctors are in the same situation. Forward-thinking companies are ready for the onslaught.
   
• Outside the office. Government agencies, banks, communications companies, utilities and other organizations are working relentlessly to prepare for January 1, 2000. Truth is, there's not much you can do to prepare for failure outside your office other than to stock up on non-perishable foods and bottled water, get some extra cash and hope for the best. The Red Cross lists additional Y2K preparations that you can make on its web site at www.redcross.org/disaster/safety/y2k.html.
   
• Some precautions. You can take some prudent steps now. Assess your hardware and software preparedness. Consider making a paper-based back-up system just in case. Plan on making written ledger entries on cards and perform all your January recalls in December.