While we modern folk fret about Brexit, in 1999 they had their own problems: the dreaded “Millennium Bug”

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Millennium Eve offered a heady combination of partying and paranoia

Bugged

It’s not much fun to enter a new year filled with trepidation about the potential impact of a massive and possibly malevolent change. But while we modern folk fret about Brexit, in 1999 they had their own problems: the dreaded “Millennium Bug”. ɫTV’s article at the time recorded the widespread fear as well as the helpful safety advice being offered to a world waiting for the worst to happen. 

“The Construction Industry Computing Council has urged companies to take measures to stop destructive programs gaining access to their systems through e-mail or the Internet,” wrote ɫTV’s Melanie Delargy.

As construction company staff planned to defend against any virus sneaking through the firewall that were programmed to launch a midnight attack, the article noted that David Taffs of Ove Arup & Partners “recommended firms should start their vigil as early as midday on 31 December, to prevent viruses released in Australia sneaking into UK systems.” Taffs made the stakes clear: “Otherwise, viruses could be running rampant all over the world”.

Brexit may be bad, but at least it doesn’t make you miss new year’s eve. Yet…

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