Follow the steps below to find out
how a compouter will react to the
year 2000.
■ STEP 1: Set the computer’s clock
to a couple minutes before midnight
Dec. 31.1999.
■ STEP Jfc Turn the machine off,
wait a few minutes, then turn it back
on and check the clock for the new
year.
■ STEP 3: If it’s wrong, reset the
clock to 2000, turn it off, and then
restart to see if the new date holds.
■ STEP *: If the year is still incor
rect contact the computer’s manu
facturer for a patch or upgrade.
Keep in mind that the Y2K problem
is not a serious concern unless you
run programs that depend on a cor
rect date, such as spreadsheets or
databases.
For more information about Y2K
and its possible solutions, visit
these Web sites:
www.ous.edu/y2k/-This Oregon
University System site has links to
many state and higher education
resources
www.microsoft.com/yea r2000/—
The official Microsoft Y2K resource
center
www.s390.ibm.com/stories/laii2
OOO.html—IBM answers some
basic questions about Y2K's origin
and possible effects
mlllennia-bcs.com/emb
link.htmfecs—links to informa
tion about embedded systems
www.taay2k.com—The FAA an
swers questions about Y2K and its
air traffic control systems
SOURCE U S. News i World Report
Y2K: Some microchips
may need replacements
■ Continued from Page 14A
“The new version of BANNER
that we’re installing Labor Day
weekend should be compliant,
according to our vendor,” Hilton
said.
According to Hilton, some peo
ple have suggested taking the
three administrative servers of
fline for a day in order to test
their capacity to handle dates
past 1999, but she said that
wouldn’t be possible because it
would interrupt the current flow
of production, perhaps causing
even more problems.
“The ideal would be if we had
an exact replica of our system
with all the hardware and soft
ware. But we don’t,” Hilton said.
Because most of University
Computing’s Y2K resources are
dedicated to examining mission
critical systems, the responsibili
ty for fixing any other campus
computers will be deployed to
departments and individuals.
However, Hilton said the regu
lar lines of support through mi
crocomputing consulting and the
help desk are always available.
“We’re also working on setting
up pointers on the University
Web site to information about
step-by-step things people can
do,” she said.
Several campus-related organi
zations have already taken steps
to ensure computer problems
don’t hinder their work in the
new millennium.
The Alumni Association and
the University Foundation,
which keep their records in a
common database, rely heavily
on dates in order to arrange class
reunions or conduct targeted
fund-raising campaigns.
However, the valuable records
are safe from any Y2K problems,
said Donald Healey, manager of
information systems/hardware
for the University of Oregon
Foundation.
“All of our systems are based
on date algorithms that are unaf
fected by the year 2000," Healey
said.
For example, a certain date is
set as the number “0” and all oth
er dates are calculated mathemat
ically as a positive or negative
number in relation to that origi
nal base date, Healey said. As a
result, none of the information in
the organization’s database needs
to interact with the computer’s
internal clock.
The Oregon Daily Emerald has
also worked to prevent any com
puter problems that might threat
en publication in the next centu
ry. “Our editorial and production
systems are not going to have any
problems,” said Michele Ross,
production manager. “We use
Macintoshes, which have always
been year-2000-compliant.”
The Emerald’s business office,
however, which is responsible
for billing advertisers and main
taining the paper’s payroll, uses
PCs. According to business su
pervisor Kathy Carbone, the
Emerald switched to a new ac
counting system last year be
cause the old one could not han
dle dates beyond 1999.
One aspect of the Y2K problem
that people often overlook is
something called “embedded
systems.”
“Embedded systems affect
everything from VCRs to toasters
to those coffee machines that au
tomatically start your coffee in
the morning,” said Jody Bleisch,
systems coordinator for the Of
fice of Public Safety.
According to Bleisch, some mi
crochips in electronic devices
have the same Y2K problem that
computers do, but there is almost
no way to fix it except by indi
vidually testing and replacing
each chip. “It’s not something
you have access to reprogram,”
he said.
It’s possible that embedded
systems chips are used in things
on campus from lighting to secu
rity systems to fire control boxes.
For security reasons, Bleisch
would not discuss exactly which
campus systems might be affect
ed. But he did say the problem is
being carefully examined.
“As far as all of our critical sys
tems — security and fire — we’ve
looked at Y2K compliance,” he
said. Bleisch said most of the
newer systems wouldn’t be af
fected.
“In the past 10 years, most
manufacturers have been aware
of the problem. You won’t see a
lot of [the older systems] out
there. They’re obsolete,” Bleisch
said.
Some older systems the Uni
versity uses will still function,
Bleisch said, but show the wrong
date, such as dispatch logs.
“We’re going to use them to their
life’s extent. Their non-compli
ance is not critical,” he said.
“There just has to be a com
mon understanding that some
one didn’t enter a certain build
ing 100 years ago.”
University Mealth Center
Free Services
h?
®l - L- > g tiiIf ■ '' ; ■ v$ :
The following workshops are offered most terms and are designed to help
you make positive health changes. Call 346-4456 for more information. )I
Smoking Cessation
Weight Management
Low fat or Vegetarian Cooking
Peer and Staff Health Educators can address your
specific health concerns and assist you in making
health promoting changes in your life.
Call us at 346-4456 to schedule an appointment.
J S IT TIME FOR A NAP?
Too many calories? Not enough calcium or iron? Let us help
you find the answers. If you are concerned and/or
curious about the nutrient breakdown of your diet then
NAP is for you. The Health Education Program now offers
a FREE Nutrition Analysis Program to all registered
students. Simply pick up an application at the Health
Education room.
*7T OTAL CHOLESTEROL SCREENING
Every Tuesday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. you can get free total
cholesterol screening. Simply check in at the Health
Education room on the first floor of the Health Center.
Xj ending hbrary
Excellent books, cassettes and videos are available for loan to
U of 0 students from the Health Education room in the
Health Center. There you will also find health related J
newsletters, articles, and pamphlets. Just stop by.
UEST SPEAKERS AND PRESENTATIONS
Peer Health Educators and Health Center Staff are available to
speak to your organization on any of the listed health issues
as well as others. Call us for details.
Topics Addressed:
HIV/AIDS, Nutrition, Alcohol, Sexuality, Smoking, Cholesterol, Eating
Disorders, Fitness, Stress, Relationships, Weight Management
Health Education Program
at the Health Center
346-4456
Visit us at our web site: darkwing.uoregon.edu/~uoshc