TL;DR
A multinational alcohol company's UK IT staff spent days onsite over the Y2K rollover after a custom countdown screensaver—created by an external developer—contained a Y2K-related fault that crashed PCs left powered on. Management had restricted leave, disconnected the internet and hired costly consultants; staff were kept in the office until risks cleared and were later given time off in lieu.
What happened
In the run-up to the year 2000 the company's IT department had spent considerable time testing systems and preparing for Y2K. Management commissioned a bespoke screensaver to display a countdown to the rollover and took several precautionary steps: preventing IT staff from taking leave for two weeks after December 31, hiring external consultants, and ordering a physical disconnection of the internet cable on the night. After the clock passed into 2000 most systems appeared fine, but any desktop left switched on subsequently crashed. A reboot revealed the screensaver counting down into negative numbers. IT investigated and determined the third-party-developed screensaver itself had not been tested for Y2K and caused the crashes. The team remained onsite for a couple of days until confidence returned; consultants were paid, and salaried staff received time off in lieu rather than extra pay.
Why it matters
- Third-party or novelty code can introduce operational risk if not tested to the same standards as production systems.
- Top-down emergency orders (leave bans, physical network disconnection) can protect services but also impose heavy strains on internal teams.
- High-cost external consultants may be used as insurance during critical events, increasing operational expense without preventing all issues.
- Even well-prepared organisations can be tripped up by overlooked, nonessential components during major transitions.
Key facts
- The story concerns the UK branch of a multinational alcohol company.
- IT staff had spent about two years preparing and testing systems for Y2K.
- Management commissioned a custom countdown screensaver to mark the rollover.
- Employees in IT were prevented from taking leave for two weeks after December 31.
- The company hired external consultants at significant cost to be on site during the rollover.
- Management ordered staff to unplug the internet cable on the night to reduce risk.
- PCs that had been left powered on crashed after the rollover; a reboot showed the screensaver counting into negative numbers.
- The screensaver was developed by an external party and had not been tested for the Y2K issue, per the account.
- IT staff stayed in the office for a couple of days until it was clear no further failures would occur; salaried employees were compensated with time off in lieu.
What to watch next
- Whether organisations adopt stricter testing and approval processes for third-party and decorative software (not confirmed in the source).
- Whether companies reassess the use and expense of external consultants for critical-date coverage (not confirmed in the source).
- How IT teams balance leave policies and staff welfare during anticipated risk windows, given the operational strain of on-site duty (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Y2K bug: A class of software problems arising when programs represented years with two digits, risking incorrect behavior when the year rolled from 1999 to 2000.
- Screensaver: A program that runs when a computer is idle, often to prevent burn-in or display information; can be ordinary software and should be tested like other applications.
- Consultant: An external specialist hired to provide expertise, support or oversight during critical projects or events.
- Time off in lieu: Compensatory leave granted to employees instead of additional pay for extra hours worked.
Reader FAQ
Was the outage caused by the Y2K problem?
According to the account, the custom countdown screensaver contained a Y2K-related fault that crashed PCs left powered on.
Did management take precautions before the rollover?
Yes. Management restricted IT leave for two weeks after December 31, hired external consultants and ordered the internet cable disconnected for the rollover period.
Were external consultants effective at preventing the issue?
The account notes consultants were present and costly, but it does not state they prevented the screensaver-related crashes.
Did staff receive overtime pay for staying on site?
Salaried employees were granted time off in lieu rather than reported extra pay.
Did the company change procedures after the incident?
Not confirmed in the source.
COLUMNISTS 2 IT team forced to camp in the office for days after Y2K bug found in boss's side project The lack of trust that leads to outsourcing can be…
Sources
- IT team forced to camp in the office for days after Y2K bug found in boss's side project
- IT team camped at work fixing Y2K bug in boss's side project
- The Joys of a Structured Life – Garrison Keillor
- All Posts – Peak Seven Advertising | Florida Ad Agency
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