8 y2k frederic j. brown

8. Y2K Scare (January 1, 2000): In 1984, a computer-trade column warned that a computer calculation error on January 1, 2000 would lead to mass chaos and send machines and technology worldwide grinding to a halt as they reached 00 due to the use of two digits for years (i.e. 98, 99, 00). Worldwide, people prepared for apocalyptic scenarios and rushed to buy computer software and hardware that would reportedly fix the problem.