Although hardware and software tools and testers can be useful in helping to define, plan, test, and implement solutions to year 2000 problems, the key ingredient for successful implementation still is the knowledgeable tool user. We recommend following the various procedures outlined in other sections of this web and complementing this methodology with a tool when appropriate.
There is no single tool that will solve all year 2000 problems. Rather, these tools are aimed to help in specific tasks related to testing, or analysis, or inventory of hardware, software, and data files. Some vendors provide packages which are suites of bundled applications designed to be more or less comprehensive in approach, but even these depend on human intervention and understanding for decisions on which component to use and how to interpret the results.
Our recommended approach for getting the most out of tools and test programs is to first properly define the individual year 2000 tasks that must be performed, then find a tool or suite of tools that match the task at hand. As an example, one step in your year 2000 project may be to evaluate your spreadsheet software and associated data files. Based on vendor information you replace the spreadsheet program with a compliant version. Next, to evaluate the large number of spreadsheet files you look for a tool specifically designed to scan spreadsheets. After finding a suitable tool, you are ready to check the spreadsheet files using this tool and then to evaluate how best to deal with any date-related problems detected.
A final word of caution: always validate the results of each tool or test program by doing a manual test. The definition and interpretation of year 2000 compliance may be different for different tool vendors. For this reason it is important that you check that all your actual year 2000 problems are addressed by the product being used, and that the degree of compliance being reported meets your requirements.
Some tool categories are listed next with brief descriptions. These general terms are used to describe the individual year 2000 tools listed later.
We recommend that you begin your year 2000 tools evaluation process with the products from the following list. These products have been selected for their affordability, general acceptance in the industry or at academic institutions, and following evaluation and testing for general and technical suitability. In the References section below you will find sources for additional year 2000 software products should these not meet your requirements.
For comments or questions, please write to: y2k-tools-team@uclink.berkeley.edu
Year 2000 Personal Computer Fix-It Guide; JD Consulting; Charles River Media; 1999
Tools for finding & resolving Y2K problems in
customized applications
Other tools-related sites at educational institutions:
General tools-related sites: