Patching Y2K Bug May Not Be Enough Firms Could Find That Computer Fixes Block Outside Communication

As the year 2000 approaches, more and more companies and government agencies are declaring that their critical computer systems have been fixed to operate in the new millennium.

But what they don’t tell you, warned a Spokane technology consultant on Tuesday, is that the repairs may not be compatible with others who provide them essential supplies, services and sales.

“If a company uses one solution for Y2K and another company uses another solution, they may not be able to talk to each other electronically,” Gregory Johnson told leaders of emergency service agencies in Spokane County. “They simply haven’t had time to make an end-to-end test to see if it works.”

Johnson, an attorney with Paine Hamblen Coffin Brooke & Miller, said computer programmers have known about the Y2K computer bug since the 1960s, but not until recently has anyone attempted to fix the problem and address the millions of electronic transfers, orders and messages that are issued worldwide every day.

The year 2000 is a threat to any device or network that runs on older software or embedded computer chips that operate on two-digit dates such as ‘99. As the year 2000 arrives, these chips may misinterpret the date as 1900, causing them to crash or miscalculate.

The Gartner Group Inc., a Stamford, Conn.-based technology consulting firm tracking Y2K, predicted two weeks ago that the majority of 2000-related breakdowns would occur before the new year as companies and governments begin their fiscal years. On July 1, Washington, Idaho and 44 other states begin fiscal 2000; the federal government begins its fiscal year Oct. 1.

The Y2K threat was real enough Tuesday to draw 125 employees and volunteers of local fire districts, telecommunications companies, food banks and others for a rare meeting to plan for a disaster that may never happen. Participants met at Deaconess Medical Center.

Dave Byrnes, deputy director of city-county emergency management services, said he expects to organize two more similar sessions before the year’s end.

“We want to identify possible failures and solutions for each emergency support function” such as food and water supplies, shelter and energy supplies, he said.

Many business owners and government employees have checked to ensure that payroll, billing, communications and other essential functions will operate correctly in 2000. But the software “patches” used to trick their computers into reading the correct calendar dates may be incompatible with other companies and agencies.

“It’s like one speaking French, another German,” Johnson said.

The Federal Reserve and New York Stock Exchange are two of the few large organizations that have successfully tested communication between their clients and various offices. Others will rush to do so later this year - if they have enough time.

“That’s the acid test,” Geoff Forshag, manager in consultant services at LeMaster’s & Daniels, said in an interview. “Just because you select a particular type of corrective action on your system doesn’t mean it will be compatible with anyone else.”