AUSTIN, Texas — A “Year 2000 Legal Summit” will be held at The University of Texas at Austin’s Pickle Research Center on Oct. 15 to address legal issues associated with the year 2000 problem, which could affect many computer systems worldwide.
The problem is due to the use of two-digit years in the hardware and software of mainframe, midrange and personal computer systems. However, this space-saving two-digit-year practice is embedded in microchips, as well as the software, that run telephone systems, building fire and security systems, heating and cooling systems, and medical equipment.
The summit is open to the public and all levels of government. Early registration before 4 p.m. Friday (Oct. 3) costs $60 per person for governmental agencies and $100 per person for other organizations. After Oct. 3, the cost is $130 per person. The summit opens at 7:45 a.m. for registration. Presentations begin at 8:15 a.m. in the Commons Building, 10100 Burnet Road.
The summit is primarily directed toward executives, administrators, facility managers, contracting officers, auditors, legal staff, purchasing officers and the information resources management community. Jeff Jinnett of LeBoeuf Computing Technologies will be the keynote speaker. He has testified before the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs CommitteeÌs Subcommittee on Financial Services and Technology regarding this issue.
To register, call the Software Quality Institute at UT Austin at (512) 471-4874. Or, registration is available on the world wide web at http://www.state.tx.us/year2000/legal_issues_summit.htm or at http://www.utexas.edu/coe/sqi/course_registration.html.
For additional information related to the state’s program, contact Shannon Porterfield at (512) 475-4740. Media representatives should make reservations by Oct. 10 by contacting the Texas Department of Information Resources at (512) 475-4756.
Sponsors of the summit are the Texas Department of Information Resources, the Office of the Attorney General, the State Auditors Office, the Texas Association of State Systems for Computing and Communications and the Software Quality Institute.
