MacInSchool
Year 2000 Issues
- Windows 95
Y2K fix kept from users, Computerworld, 5/3
"For almost a year, Microsoft Corp. withheld from its 125 million corporate users of Windows 95 the information that a software patch was in the works to make the desktop operating system fully year 2000-compliant...."
I'm sure you've heard the doom and gloom about the millennium bug: computers, ATMs, and a host of other technological marvels (including your VCR?) won't know what to do on 1/1/2000 - or maybe haven't a clue that 29 February 2000 is a real date.
Amazing then to find some schools still investing in computers running Windows 3.1 and Windows NT 4, two operating systems that are not fully year 2000 compliant. Maybe they don't realize that the bug strikes in 17 months.
Every Macintosh ever made is year 2000 compliant. The most ancient can handle dates for another 20 years, by which time they'll pretty well be obsolete. Power Macs can handle dates 28 centuries into the future.
Yet some schools want to move out the Macs, replacing them with Windows machines running versions of Windows that are not ready for 1/1/2000.
- Windows 3.1 has been obsolete for three years, ever since Windows 95 shipped. Windows 95 is mostly Y2K compliant - and Windows 98 is 100% Year 2000 compliant, yet some schools are buying antiquated Windows 3.1.
- Windows NT 4.0 is partially, but not fully, Year 2000 compliant. Microsoft, which has a history of late software releases, promises that version 5.0 will be available before 1/1/2000.
Curiously, these school intend to keep buying such systems for the next five or six years, as long as it takes to replace all their old Apple hardware.
You'd think they'd choose a year 2000 compliant solution in 1998, but it seems someone was not thinking clearly in electing to move from compliant Macs to less than fully compliant versions of Windows.
Further Reading
- Y2K: Is Apple safe?, SCM Consultants.
- Apple failing to exploit Y2K advantage?, MacSoldiers, 8/13. "There is also an advantage to targeting an advertising campaign to computer owners whose computers have actually stopped working."
- Macs vs. Y2K, Low End Mac, 8/3. "We switched off the 26 NT machines and fired up our Macintosh equipment."
- The real Y2K problem, Ottawa Computes, 7/99 [MacNN]. "Macs are so Y2K compatible that Revenue Canada specifically excludes them from its special accelerated depreciation tax rules for Y2K replacement."
- One
more Windows 98, Jerry Pournelle, Byte.com, 5/10
"You will recall a few years ago, Microsoft announced Win 2000 would take the place of both Win NT for offices and servers, and of Win 98 for consumers." - Major
PC makers plan Y2K alliance, ZDNet, 5/7
"Analyst's aren't convinced that the effort will have a significant impact on Y2K understanding or readiness." - Windows 98 SE
(second edition) released to PC makers, Cnet, 5/5
"Microsoft has been criticized in some circles for charging users for what is essentially an OS update, especially as it is a departure from past practices." - Windows 95 Y2K
fix kept from users, Computerworld, 5/3
"For almost a year, Microsoft Corp. withheld from its 125 million corporate users of Windows 95 the information that a software patch was in the works to make the desktop operating system fully year 2000-compliant...." - Ready
or not, Windows 2000 on its way, ZDNet, 4/12
"Microsoft's latest tactic: Ship the beta as if it were finished code." - Mac Y2K problem software, Macnologist
- Y2K, Low End Mac
- Windows 98 needs update for Y2K compliance, Microsoft TechNet
- Death of Windows 3.1, ZDNet, 2/3
- Vendor 2000 lists over 3,000 vendors and 125,000 products for Y2K compliance
- Macintosh and Y2K, SCM Consultants
- Five Y2K myths, ZDNet
- Apple and the
Year 2000
"While many other computer applications and operating systems cannot correctly process dates after Dec. 31, 1999, the Mac OS and most Mac applications will handle the year 2000 (and the next 27,940 years), no problem." - Y2K: Mac Owners Beware by Dan
Knight, 6/15/98
"Sure, even the first Macintosh can handle dates to 06.28:15 A.M. on Feb. 6, 2040." - Bears
and Bugs, the Mac's got them beat by Garry Barker, 6/16/98
"Finally, after the loyal soldiers in the trenches have been bleating for years about the Mac's immunity, Apple itself has emerged across the now shell-torn no-man's-land of Year 2000-compliance to explain in detail that the Macintosh doesn't have a problem with times or dates and never has."
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