-Caveat Lector- The Jerusalem Post Newspaper: Online News From Israel http://www.jpost.com/ Computer amateur discovers Y2K bug solution Byline: JUDY SIEGEL Date: Wednesday, September 15, 1999 Publication: Daily Page: 01 Section: News Keywords: Computer, Time, Ben-Etzion Yaron A computer amateur, who took a six-month programming course 27 years ago and has since learned applications during his IDF reserve duty, has found a solution to the Y2K computer bug that is applicable to all databases. The revolutionary solution, for which patents have been applied in the US, compresses four digits for the 21st century into two symbols, without interfering with any years from the 20th century. It accomplishes this by using special algorithms for expanding two symbols into four digits and compressing four digits into two symbols. The achievement belongs to Ben-Etzion Yaron, head of manpower and payroll in the Hebrew University's department of computerized information systems. It has already proven itself in checking for and fixing computer bugs in the department's listing of faculty sabbaticals scheduled for the 21st century. Yaron received a Kaye Prize for Innovation from the HU last June for a program that identifies the bugs in programs running only on VAX computers. Realizing that this limitation would restrict the use of his invention, he worked day and night over the past two months to expand the application to all computers and computer languages. The only Y2K bugs it cannot fix, he said, are those in computer components embedded in equipment, such as medical devices. The result of his work is Sapir 2000, which makes possible the analysis of computer programs written in COBOL, used in the 1970s and '80s for databases that its developers thought would be abandoned by the end of the century but remained, with repairs over the years, to cause the Y2K bug. Yaron's invention can even identify errors in other programs that have already been revamped to cope with Y2K and make corrections, thus providing a kind of 'second opinion' to ensure that chaos does not ensue after January 1. Sapir 2000 can also be applied to other situations requiring expansion of existing information to incorporate additional digits. It is estimated that the time needed by Yaron's program to make databases compatible with the next century is 15 percent-20% of the time required using other solutions. Yaron said his program would not become obsolete after January 1. Many programming errors will appear for years afterward, he explained, 'and Sapir 2000 is extremely flexible so it will deal with problems that we can't even realize today.' HU vice president and director-general Moshe Vigdor said that the university's research and development arm, Yissum, has signed a contract with Magic Software Enterprises, an international firm that supplies computerized solutions for companies. Magic's local subsidiary is MSE-Israel, whose president and CEO Jack Dunietz and managing director Oren Inbar were present at yesterday's unveiling of Sapir 2000. MSE-Israel will initially market and distribute the new product in Israel and, if all goes well, the product will be sold worldwide, mainly via the Internet. Inbar said that potential customers may ask MSE-Israel to convert parts of programs on a trial basis free and pay only if they are satisfied and want more work done. MSE- Israel has decided to donate $100,000 worth of development kits, study material, lectures, and consultancies to HU to promote advancement of students at its new School of Engineering and Computer Sciences, which is due to open its academic year next month on the Givat Ram campus. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
