Administrators Work to Swat 'Millenium Bug'

Yesterday, representatives from Ivy League universities convened at the Faculty Club to discuss the millennium bug, or possible problems that could plague computer systems in the year 2000.

The inability of some computers to recognize four-digit numbers--for example, incorrectly reading the year 2000 as 00--has resulted in two problems for the University thus far, according to Scott O. Bradner, the Harvard University Year 2000 Project Coordinator.

In late spring, "some software we had from a bank to clear credit cards could not deal with cards which expired in January 2000," he said, and this summer, some people with identification cards expiring in the year 2000 were unable to enter William James Hall. However, Bradner said, these minor problems were quickly solved, and that "fundamentally, at this point, we see very few problems."

Computers handling the general ledger and accounts payable for the University will be replaced, while HOLLIS and the identification card system among others, will be upgraded, Bradner said. He added that some systems have already been updated or replaced and that everything will be Year 2000-compliant by the end of the year.

"The core financial systems will take a few months, but even there, we don't see a problem. At this point, we don't see a point for people at the University to worry all that much, except to look at their computers," Bradner said.

He recommended that anyone worried about the status of his or her computer visit the Web site www.uis.harvard.edu/year2000 to determine whether the computer is year 2000-compiant. All Macintoshes are compliant, Bradner said, but PCs more than five years old may not be. Faculty and staff are encouraged to address question to the Year 2000 project coordinator in charge of their school, department or central administration unit, Bradner said. He added that employees at the Science Center's computer help desk are being trained to "understand the problems and resources" available to undergraduates and will be sending an e-mail message about the "millennium bug" later this semester.

Bradner said the bug could plague anything from spreadsheets to "something some graduate student did 10 years ago" but predicted it to be a minor problem for computers throughout the University.

On the other hand, Paul J. Malagrifa, director for applied technologies for the Harvard University Operations Service--which gauges year 2000 compliance for fire alarms, elevators, electrical systems and other building infrastructure systems--said there are "many systems that could possible be affected by the Year 2000 bug. It's too early to tell at this phase." Right now, Malagrifa said he is asking vendors to furnish Year 2000 compliance reports and testing strategies. He hopes to begin testing equipment for compliance by next year.

"Right now, we're not seeing a big problem," Malagrifa said. "There hasn't been anything we've uncovered so far that leads us to think there's going to be big problem, but you never know. [Then again], it might be as simple as replacing certain parts [by the] summer [of 1999.]"

Malagrifa said making sure Harvard's building infrastructure is Year 2000 compliant is important because a "computer that turns fans on and off for a building could misinterpret its instructions and act as if it's 1900."

"There may be no lights or power or elevators, so clearly our role in trying to uncover those problems is fairly significant," he said.