In article <[log in to unmask]>, [log in to unmask] says...
>
>Gavin Scott <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>>Pat writes:
>>> Well, the first lawsuit over a year-2000 issue has been filed:
>
>>[snip]
>
>>> I wonder how many more of these we're going to see in the coming
>>> months?
>
>>How many lawyers are there in the world? :-)
>
>>G.
>
>I'm a little bit late, but I believe this was right here in Detroit. But the
>question that drives me crazy is why the shop owner didn't ask if the cash
>register software was year-2000 compliant to begin with?
>
>And I seem to remember that the register system only crashed when a card wit
>h an
>expiriation date > 2000 was used. Why not just not use cards > 2000. Sure, y
>ou'l
>loose sales, but at least your register system won't crash...
>
>Steve B.
>
Well to begin with Visa and Master Card have very stiff fines for
terminals that cannot take exiration dates beyond 2000, $100,000 per
occurance. The reason is, after issuing a few cards with expiration
dates > 2000, they had to discontinue doing so because people were
complaning that they couldn't be used. So most cards now have an exp.
date in 1999 and they need all terminals ready to take 2000 before
they can allow more year 2000 cards to be issued. You can imagine the
problems if they have to reissue everyone's credit card all in 1999.