Y2K: Countdown to Catastrophe

The Y2K bug, a programming oversight, caused widespread fear of a technological apocalypse as the year 2000 approached. Media and conspiracy theorists fueled panic, but governments and businesses had prepared extensively. The issue was resolved by updating date formats, making Y2K an expensive anticlimax. The event highlighted the importance of proactive problem-solving in technology.

What event on December 31st, 1999, caused widespread fear and panic?

• A global power outage

• An economic collapse

• The Y2K bug

• A natural disaster

What was the main concern regarding computers and the year 2000?

• Computers would stop working entirely

• Computers would interpret the year 2000 as 1900

• Computers would delete all data

• Computers would become self-aware

How did governments and businesses prepare for the Y2K issue?

• By ignoring the problem

• By shutting down all computers

• By creating new computer systems

• By updating systems to recognize four-digit years

What was the outcome when the year 2000 arrived?

• A complete shutdown of global infrastructure

• Widespread computer failures

• Minor disruptions in some areas

• Everything continued to function normally

What was the cost of Y2K preparations for US businesses?

• $1 billion

• $100 billion

• $10 million

• $100 million