Vol IV.  No. 1        Information Systems Office, College of Medicine and Public Health        January, 1999

Brian Wilson, Systems Manager

    1998 was an exciting year in the world of computing.  We saw new operating systems (Windows 98), anti-trust lawsuits, and the roar begin to build in anticipation of the Y2K problem.  If you think you have heard enough about Y2K now, just wait until December.

    1998 was also the year in which America Online purchased Netscape.  And in an indication of how the Internet has permeated our lives, millions rushed to the web to read the Starr report the second it was released.  Home computers dropped well below the $1,000 mark.

    So, what to expect in 1999?  The Internet will continue its meteoric growth with 150 million users worldwide predicted at the end of the year.  Many other aspects of the computer world will be uncertain, most notably the future of Microsoft, once the government’s trial against the software giant is completed.

    One thing is certain.  Computers will continue to become faster and cheaper.  If you can remember back to the beginning of 1998, the fastest machine you could buy was a 300 MHz Pentium II.  As we begin 1999, we have reached the 450 MHz plateau.  By the end of 1999, Intel will have announced a radical new way to make processors.  Currently, Pentium processors are 0.25 microns thick.  The new version will reduce the thickness to 0.18 microns. (By comparison, a human hair is 100 microns thick!)

    The thinner the chip the faster the speed.  Speeds will reach 600 MHz by the end of 1999.  So the same top of the line machine you paid $2,500 for this Christmas will only cost about $1,200 by next Christmas.  Such is the world of computers.

    You can also expect to see new versions of popular software to appear in 1999.  Microsoft is readying another new operating system, Windows 2000 Professional, although reports are that bugs may delay its release into the year 2000.  Also, a new release of Office (Office 2000) may be released as early as this spring.

    Web browsers will also be updated this year with both Netscape Communicator and Microsoft Internet Explorer releasing version 5 of their popular software.  Early indications are that new software engines will allow for web sites to load a lot faster.

    As always, the Information Systems Office is constantly researching and attending seminars on all new products that impact our work environment.  We will look closely at all new products to see if their implementation will aid our users in getting their jobs done more efficiently.

    We hope that 1999 will be a fun and productive year for us all!

Robert McKenney, FAAMA, Director

   I know it has gotten to the point that one cannot even open the daily newspaper without reading about the Y2K problem.  There have been articles on the potential failure of prison locks, electric-power shortages, credit card problems, potential problems with air travel, and the list could go on.  It was even recently reported that a Y2K problem was found in Microsoft Windows 98 -- a product that was heavily tested prior to release.

    Is this problem real?  Is it only a computer problem?   Don't we have until January 1, 2000 to fix?
Although one may argue that some of the potential failure stories related to the approaching millennium are exaggerated, I would certainly say they have helped to get the attention of those who may feel it's not a real problem.  Downplaying the 2000 issue will not make it go away.  The one thing the industry definitely seems to agree on is that it is a problem with significant costs -- technically, politically, and legally speaking.  In the book titled "Managing 00: Surviving the Year 2000 Computer Crisis" it is noted that "for every dollar not spent on repairing the Year 2000 problem, the anticipated costs of litigation and potential damages will probably amount to more than $10."

    The problem isn't strictly a "computer" problem.  There are various equipment items that we use at home and in our jobs that have time chips.  Your work environment may have a piece of research equipment that keeps track of when it needs to be recalibrated.  If the date isn't reflected correctly when 2000 rolls around, the equipment may fail.  Also, think about how many things depend on computers like traffic lights and the delivery of electricity.  One who is addressing a Y2K problem at their workplace needs to keep in mind that they may do all they can to alleviate the Y2K impact, but has their supplier taken the same course of action.  At a recent conference, a hospital director stood up and said that they may not need to worry about the capability of their hardware to correctly handle the date "00."  Why?  Their consultants informed them that the local supplier of electricity has just started tackling the problem, and how can they assure the delivery of such power when they purchase it from several states away.  Certainly, the handling of two simple digits has become an enormous task.

    Problems related to Y2K are already revealing themselves.  For example, it was recently reported that taxi cab meters were failing due to such a problem and that some stores were encountering problems when dealing with credit cards that had an
expiration date of "00."  In approaching the Y2K matter, one cannot overlook the fact that some problems may occur because of the dates September 9, 1999 (9/9/99) or April 9, 1999 (the 99th day of 1999).  Simply stated, some programs were written in that a collection of  "9" indicated an invalid date or program termination.

    The IS Office has been involved with Campus and the efforts underway in addressing the Y2K "glitch."  A College task force has been formed with representatives from the IS Office and College and Office of Health Sciences departments/offices.  The task force will approach their mission by identifying mission-critical systems, identifying groups of applications/systems that may be impacted but are not critical to an area, and identifying those systems currently used, but wouldn't be missed if negatively impacted by the changeover to "00". To help Colleges in their Y2K work, Campus has recently announced the upcoming availability (through the OSU Bookstore) of the application called Check 2000PC at a reduced rate for a limited time.  This application which has been used by the College's IS Office flags for the technician potential year 2000 problems.
More information about such Campus activities, Y2K, and a listing of task force members may be found by the visiting the College's Web site: is.med.ohio-state.edu/.

Brian Wilson, Systems Manager

    The recent success of the upgrade of our network servers and e-mail system did bring about many good questions from our users.  We offered three training sessions on the new version of GroupWise before its deployment, as well as a question and answer session following its deployment.  Many people asked for step-by-step instructions on how to perform many of the tasks in GroupWise, such as how to remove Internet: from the addresses in your Personal Groups.

    With this in mind, the IS Office has a new directory available to all users on their S:\ drive.  The directory is called IS Training Documents.  Here, you will find Word documents with complete instructions (including screenshots) on how to perform certain functions in GroupWise.  We will be expanding this directory to include help with other software as well.

    We hope you find these features to be useful.  If you have any questions, or suggestions for features you need help with, please contact the IS Office at 8-5635.