Y2K Bug

The Y2K bug was a computer error related to how dates were stored in many systems. To save space, years were abbreviated to the last two digits (e.g., 1999 as "99"). When 2000 arrived, systems might misinterpret "00" as 1900, causing errors in data processing, financial calculations, and dates. This posed fears of widespread failures in software, banking, utilities, and transportation. However, extensive worldwide efforts to update systems successfully prevented major problems, making the transition smooth. The Y2K bug highlights how small coding shortcuts can have significant impacts if not properly managed.