25 years ago on New Year’s Eve, concerns arose about the impact of the Millennium Bug on the modern world.
The threat of computer systems crashing due to the inability to differentiate between 1900 and 2000 created a sense of impending doom worldwide. Daily warnings about potential catastrophic outcomes kept the nation on edge.
Jokes circulated about avoiding life support at midnight on December 31, 1999. In China, officials took drastic measures to demonstrate that the problem had been resolved.
Fortunately, the anticipated disasters did not materialize.
Early signs of the Millennium Bug, also known as Y2K, appeared in the late 1980s when companies like Marks & Spencer faced issues due to their outdated computer systems.
Despite efforts to address the bug, problems still arose globally with nuclear reactors shutting down and erroneous test results affecting pregnant women.
Some individuals criticized the exaggerated risks associated with the bug, while tech companies faced backlash for potentially exploiting the situation for profit.
Although some countries were more prepared than others, the overall impact of the Millennium Bug turned out to be less severe than expected.
Different countries approached Y2K preparations differently, with varying levels of success in mitigating the bug’s effects.
Source: www.theguardian.com
