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Hacked

Throwback: The Year Double Zero

Dec 31, 2022
Explore the Y2K bug and its similarities to challenges faced in 2020. Learn about the programming language Coball and the scarcity of skilled Coball programmers. Discover the implications of shorthand years in software and databases. Reflect on the panic and hysteria surrounding the Y2K bug. Understand the importance of addressing big problems properly and protecting the planet.
45:03

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The Y2K bug required extensive efforts to review and update computer programs and databases, highlighting the importance of software engineers in averting crises.
  • The media's focus on the Y2K potential crisis fueled panic and overshadowed the significant efforts made to prevent disasters.

Deep dives

Y2K Problem: A Predicted Crisis That Was Averted

The podcast episode explores the Y2K problem, which refers to the potential computer failures that experts predicted as the year 2000 approached. The episode highlights the anticipation and preparations that were made to address the problem, including the massive mobilization of government and industry spending billions of dollars on fixing and updating software systems. It explores the three theories surrounding the Y2K panic, including international grift by the software consulting industry, cultural hysteria, and the lack of recognition for averted disasters. The episode emphasizes the importance of computer literacy and the role of software engineers in averting crises, while also reflecting on the lessons learned from the Y2K episode.

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