Project
of Ukrainian Federation of Informatics

Scientific and research works on creation of software for solving the 2000 problem in data-dependent computers

Year - 1999

Project had been performed by V.M. Glushkov Cybernetics Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in compliance with the following documents:

• Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine #1673, dated September 14, 1999 "On Measures for Protection of Personal Computers, Certain Controlling Systems, Information Systems and Networks from Negative Impact of Computer Crisis 2000"
• Decision of Departmental Commission at the President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine on prevention and elimination of eventual negative impact of computer crisis 2000 #1 of September 28, 1999;
• Decision of the State Commission on prevention and elimination of eventual negative impact of computer crisis 2000 (Protocol #8 of the Commission sitting of November 19, 1999).

Purpose: Modernization of software on Customer's computers that have defects related to inadequate processing of dates starting from year 2000, to prevent and eliminate eventual negative impact.

Problem topicality and stage of development: It is known that computers of IBM/PC 286/386/486 type, as well as Pentium with out-of-date input/output kernel systems (BIOS by AWARD, AMI, ACER etc.) and volatile real-time clock (RTC) realized on MC 146818 chip, fail to perform correct transition from 12/31/99 date to 01/01/2000 date. In other words, this is the so-called computer crisis 2000 ("Problem-2000").

Requirements to "IК-Y2K" program package: The "IК-Y2K" program package should:

• Set correctly system dates when transition to year 2000;
• Adjust properly system dates after year 2000 begins, in case no adjusting means were installed in the computer beforehand;
• Exactly set the templates of system dates;
• Exactly set the dates of created catalogs and files after year 2000 begins;
• Adjust RTC in modern computers in which RTC sets up incorrectly before the computer is restarted, which fact is essential for application programs that refer directly to RTC for discarding the date before BIOS refers to RTC;
• Provide for certification by safety characteristics and functional capabilities of utilities and programs;
• Ensure correctness of computer calendar performance taking into account leap years 2000, 2004 and 2008;
• requires minimum storage capacity;
• Function in MS DOS, Windows 3.X, Windows 95, Windows 98 environment.

The results of these works were implemented by UFI at 14 enterprises and firms of Ukraine ("Doctor-2000" program), as well as in departmental divisions of the Administration of the President of Ukraine (Agreement #1 of January 14, 2000 on "Supply, Installation, Consulting Assistance and Warranty Support of Computer Program 'Program Package for Solving the Year 2000 Problem in Data-Dependent Computers'").