Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Gold/Mining/Energy : Gold Price Monitor -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Mansfield who wrote (24093)	12/12/1998 12:53:00 PM
From: goldsnow	Respond to of 116972

EU LEADERS URGE UTILITIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES TO TACKLE YEAR 2000 BUG European Union leaders said on Saturday that prompt action was needed to ensure utilities and small businesses across the 15-country bloc are prepared for the Year 2000 computer bug. In a draft of their Vienna summit, the leaders urged member states to "implement timely plans for the protection of their own infrastructure and to continue to raise awareness across all sectors, focusing in particular on the public sector and small and medium-sized businesses." Earlier this month, the European Commission issued a statement raising concerns about preparation in local administrations, national infrastructures and utilites to cope with the millennium bug. The bug is a glitch shown by many computer systems - especially those more than 10 years old - to recognise dates correctly after 31 December 1999. Computer gurus in the past decided to save computer memory by using two-digit year recognition, rather than four. So, while millions celebrate the start of the 21st century, computers may only recognise the date as the beginning of the 20th century, taking the two-digits 00 to be 1900. Leaders called on the Commission to convene a meeting of public infrastructure providers at the next European Council in June, to establish whether enough had been done to ensure that cross-border dependencies within the EU were year 2000- compliant. They expressed particular concern about transport, energy and water supplies. Big businesses, led by the financial and telecommunications sectors, have been quick to make year 2000 preparations, but many technical experts fear governments and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have not done enough. One additional fear is that, due to the inter-dependence of global computer systems, technology failures in one country could have a knock-on effect in others. The leaders urged public authorities to ensure the EU would not be hit by technical failures imported from outside the bloc. "The relevant authorities of the member states are urged to examine closely the implications of the problem of supply-chain failures outside the EU, to elaborate contingency plans to address this, and to exchange information with their counterparts in other member states." skynews.co.uk Photographs © Copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republicatio