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The year 2000 problem: hiccough or approaching Armageddon.

M P Harvey1

  • 1Hematology Department, Liverpool Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.

Pathology
|July 10, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Information technology systems are as complex and unpredictable as biological organisms. Checking critical systems for Year 2000 compliance is vital to prevent widespread disruption from undiscovered software errors.

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Area of Science:

  • Computer Science
  • Software Engineering
  • Information Technology

Background:

  • Modern information technology (IT) systems exhibit complexity comparable to biological organisms, leading to unpredictable behavior.
  • The intricate nature of software, with millions of lines of code, mirrors the complexity of biological genomes.
  • Undiscovered errors in IT systems pose risks similar to genetic mutations in biological organisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the critical need for assessing Year 2000 compliance in IT systems.
  • To underscore the potential for serious disruption due to undetected software errors.
  • To draw parallels between software defects and genetic mutations in understanding system vulnerabilities.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of complexity between IT systems and biological organisms.
  • Identification of potential risks associated with undiscovered errors in machine code.
  • Emphasis on the importance of rigorous testing and validation for Year 2000 readiness.

Main Results:

  • Significant parallels exist between the unpredictability of IT systems and biological processes.
  • The challenge of distinguishing benign errors from critical ones in software is akin to genetic polymorphism analysis.
  • Uncertainty surrounds the impact of data-handling code errors, exemplified by the Year 2000 Problem.

Conclusions:

  • Critical IT systems require immediate verification for Year 2000 compliance.
  • Failure to address software errors could lead to potentially serious disruptions.
  • Proactive system checks are essential to mitigate risks associated with complex software.

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