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By Susan Hilton (hilton@oregon.uoregon.edu)
Most people probably don't know if their hardware and software is ready for the year 2000 ("Y2K"). If you're in doubt, you can verify the status of your equipment by checking the web. Most computer hardware and software manufacturers have Y2K-readiness statements on their web sites.
Hardware. Apple reports that Macintosh computers have been Y2K-ready since 1984. As for PCs, most 486 and better machines should be okay, but check with the vendor (or vendor's web site) to be sure.
Software. The Microsoft web site (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/year2k/product/product.htm) lists Microsoft products and their degree of Y2K compliance. Other software manufacturers offer similar information on their sites. But be forewarned that Y2K readiness statements frequently change! Because testing is ongoing, a product that's reportedly compliant today may be listed as not being "fully" compliant tomorrow.
UO Year 2000 Web Site. You'll find a list of the most common hardware and software vendors on the UO Year 2000 Web site at http://y2k.uoregon.edu/ This site also contains other information relevant to the year 2000, including issues affecting administrative and academic computing users. Check the site frequently, as new information continues to be added as it unfolds.