Unyaka Ka-2000—Ingabe Ukuphazamiseka Kwama-computer Kuyokuthinta?

NGESIKHATHI i-computer iqala ukuba khona ezweni, kwathiwa iyinto esunguliwe enkulu kunazo zonke ezake zasungulwa kusukela umuntu aqala ukusebenzisa ugesi. Namuhla, emashumini eminyaka kamuva, abantu abaningi bayazibuza ukuthi babephila kanjani ngaphandle kwama-computer. Ukuze kwenziwe lo magazini owufundayo, kwasetshenziswa wona. Ama-computer angagcina ukwaziswa okufakwe kuwo futhi akukhiphe ngokuphazima kweso. Heyi, ayamangalisa ama-computer! Ave ewusizo! Bekuyokwenziwa njani ngaphandle kwawo?

Ezindaweni eziphucuzekile zezwe, cishe kuzo zonke izici zokuphila kwabantu kusetshenziswa i-computer ngandlela-thile. Uma uthembele emalini yomhlalaphansi, imali oyithola kuhulumeni ngenxa yokukhubazeka, imali eyimbuyiselo ngentela owayikhokha noma umshuwalense, noma ezinye izimali ezinjalo, ukuzithola kwakho kuncike kuma-computer. Uma uyisisebenzi, kungenzeka uhlu lwamaholo enu lubhalwa kuyi-computer. Ama-computer agcina irekhodi lemali efakwe emabhange nenzalo yayo. Emakhaya esimanje, alawula izinto eziningi, njengezinto ezikhiqiza ugesi noma ezihlanza amanzi. Awusizo kodokotela, emithola-mpilo nasezibhedlela ekuxilongeni izinkinga zempilo—nasekusindiseni ukuphila. Ama-computer asetshenziselwa ukuhlola isimo sezulu nokuvimbela izindiza ukuba zingashayisani emoyeni.

Ahlakaniphe Kangakanani?

Ama-computer awahlakaniphile ukudlula abantu abawenza. I-computer ixazulula izinkinga ngendlela eyalwe ngayo kuphela. Ayinayo ingqondo. Uma yenza iphutha, imane ibonisa ukungapheleli kwabantu abayenza noma abenza izinhlelo zayo. Uma yenza kahle, udumo luya kumuntu. I-computer ingenza imisebenzi ngokushesha kakhulu kunomuntu, kodwa ngeke inikeze izimpendulo zezinkinga ezithile ngaphandle kokuba umuntu eyinikezé indlela yokunikeza izimpendulo.

Ngokwesibonelo, ikhono lomuntu lokubona izinto kusengaphambili lalifiphele ngempela lapho eqala ukuhlela ama-computer athile ngeminyaka yawo-1950 neyawo-1960. Njengoba amandla e-computer okugcina izinto ayebiza ngaleso sikhathi, abahleli bafuna izindlela zokonga isikhala. Kuyi-computer uhlamvu noma inombolo ngayinye kudla isikhala. Ngakho-ke ukuze bonge isikhala lapho begcina izinsuku, abahleli bakuqala basungula indlela emfushane eyayingazifaki izinombolo zokuqala ezimbili zonyaka. Ngokwesibonelo, unyaka ka-1965 wawufushaniswa ngokuthi “65,” u-1985 kuthiwe “85,” u-1999 kuthiwe “99,” njalonjalo. Kwakuwubala ukufaka u-“19” ku-“85” ukuze kutholwe u-1985 uma kunyatheliswa izinsuku. Emashumini eminyaka ambalwa edlule, kuye kwabhalwa izigidi zezinhlelo kusetshenziswa le ndlela enqamulelayo. Abekho abahleli abacabanga ukuthi le ndlela enqamulelayo ebonakala ingenangozi ingaba nemiphumela emibi, ngoba babengacabangi ukuthi izinhlelo zabo zazizobe zisasetshenziswa lapho kuphela leli khulu leminyaka. Nokho, izinhlelo eziningi ezisebenzisa le ndlela enqamulelayo zisasetshenziswa futhi ziyogcina unyaka ka-2000 njengo-“00.”

Amanye ama-computer ayocabanga ukuthi u-“00” usho unyaka ka-1900! Manje cabanga ngesixakaxaka esiyoba khona ohlelweni lwe-computer uma ibala imali ebolekiswe phakathi neminyaka emihlanu kusukela ngo-1999 bese ithi kudingeka ibe isikhokhiwe ngo-1904! Kwezinye izimo, ukubalwa kwezinsuku kuyobangela ukuba izinhlelo ze-computer ziyeke ukusebenza ngenxa yamaphutha, kanti ezimweni ezimbi kakhulu, uhlelo luyophazamiseka ngokuphelele.

“Nakuba le nhlanganisela yokuxhumana iye yalethela ezezimboni inguquko eye yacishe yalingana nokusungulwa kukagesi,” kubhala iphephandaba i-Toronto Star, “iye yasifaka engozini ngaphezu kokuba abasunguli bayo babecabanga.” I-Star sabuye sathi: “Ezweni lonke kunezinhlelo zama-computer nezinye izinto eziyinhlanganisela yokuxhumana ezingakwazi ukuhlukanisa unyaka ka-1900 nonyaka ka-2000. Ngaphandle kokuba lezi zinhlelo zihlolwe futhi zishintshwe, kungaba nesixakaxaka emhlabeni wonke.”

Lokho Okubikezelwa Abanye Ochwepheshe

“Wonke umuntu uyaqagela ukuthi isimo siyoba sibi kanjani, kuhlanganise nami,” kusho iLungu Lesigele sase-United States uRobert Bennett, wase-Utah. “Futhi akekho oyokwazi kuze kube uNcibijane ka-2000 noma isonto noma amabili ngemva kwawo.” Iphini likamongameli wase-United States lathi: “Eqinisweni kungashiwo ngezizathu ezithile ukuthi . . . kuyoba nemiphumela eyoba nzima kakhulu kwezomnotho nakubantu.”

Umkhulumeli we-Central Intelligence Agency yase-United States wathi: “Sikhathazeka ngokuphazamiseka okungaba khona oxhaxheni lwamandla kagesi, kwezokuxhumana nasemabhange.” Ngokwemibiko yezwe lonke, amanye ama-computer aseye aba nezinkinga kakade lapho izinsuku ezikuwo zifinyelela onyakeni ka-2000 noma ngalé.

I-U.S.News & World Report iyabika: “Ochwepheshe babikezela ukuthi kuzoba nezinkinga ezengeziwe emkhakheni wezempilo, njengoba imali okudingeka ikhokhwe iziguli nemishuwalense ezibhedlela noma kuma-HMO isengozini. Ezinye izinhlobo zemishini yesayensi esiza abantu ukuba bakwazi ukusebenza ngaphansi kwezimo ezicindezelayo, kuhlanganise nemishini yokulawula izimo ezithile zempilo, kusengozini yokungasebenzi. Ngenxa yokuthi imishini eminingi kagesi iye yephuza ukuqala ukulungisa inkinga, izindawo zisongelwa ukuphazamiseka kukagesi.” Iphephandaba laseCanada nalo lizwakalisa ukwesaba okufanayo: “Izibhedlela zethu nezobuchwepheshe kwezempilo konke kuncike kulezi zinhlanganisela zokuxhumana ezigcwele yonke indawo, ngakho-ke ukungasebenzi kahle kwazo kungabulala abantu.” “Ngenxa yomkhakha esikuwo,” kukhala omunye umphathi wesibhedlela, “isimo sinzima kakhulu. Kweminye imikhakha kungase kungabi indaba yokufa nokuphila.”

Izazi ze-computer ezingenathemba nhlobo zibikezela ukuwa kwezinkampani zamasheya, ukuwa kwamabhizinisi amancane, ukukhishwa kwezimali emabhange ngabanikazi bazo abanovalo. E-United States, iphini likanobhala wezempi labiza iphutha le-computer elisemhlabeni wonke ngokuthi inkinga yama-electron elingana no-El Niño esimweni sezulu futhi laphawula: “Ngiyoba owokuqala oyothi sizobona imihlola.”

“Kuzoba nemiphumela eyinhlekelele emabhizinisini aseRussia uma ama-computer engalungiswa ngaphambi komhla ka-1 January, ngonyaka ka-2000,” kusho umongameli we-American Chamber of Commerce. Intatheli yezindaba ye-Reuters iyabika: “Izinkampani zaseJalimane kusengathi zilele, ziqonde ngqó enhlekeleleni yebhomu lama-computer ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yeminyaka, futhi le miphumela engazelelwe izobangela isiyaluyalu kulo lonke elaseYurophu.” Umqondisi wocwaningo wathi “ningayigxeka ngokufanayo ne-Austria, iSwitzerland, iSpain, iFrance ne-Italy.”

I-Bangkok Post ibuye idonsele ukunakekela enkingeni yama-computer aseThailand: “Amahhovisi ezibalo zezwe endaweni abhekene nenselele ekabili yokuqala kweminyaka eyinkulungwane: ukuvimbela inkinga yonyaka ka-2000 (Y2K) ezimisweni zama-computer abo, nokulungela ukubhala inani labantu elisha, ngokwe-United Nations Information Service.” I-Australia, iChina, iHong Kong, i-Ireland, iJapane, i-New Zealand neNgilandi wonke abhekene nezinkinga ezifanayo. Ngempela, inkinga yomhlaba wonke edinga ukuxazululwa.

Izindleko Ezesabekayo

Abanye ochwepheshe baye benza izindleko zokulungisa izinkinga zama-computer zamba eqolo. Ngokwesibonelo, i-Office of Management and Budget yase-United States, ilinganisela ukuthi kuyothatha izigidi zama-dollar ezingu-4 700 (izigidi zamaRandi ezingu-27 000) ukulungisa iphutha kuma-computer kahulumeni wezwe nje kuphela. Elinye iqembu lochwepheshe lathi isilinganiso esingaba yiso ngempela ekulungiseni kahle ama-computer kahulumeni kungaba izigidi zama-dollar ezingu-30 000 (izigidi zamaRandi ezingu-172 000). Kulinganiselwa ukuthi emhlabeni wonke kuzobiza malini? Indathane “yezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-600 zama-dollar [izigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-3 500 zamaRandi] yokulungisa i-software nezigidi eziyisigidi esisodwa sama-dollar [izigidi eziyizigidi eziyisithupha zamaRandi] zokukhokhela amacala angenakugwenywa uma ukulungisa kuhluleka,” kubika iphephandaba i-New York Post. Elinye iqembu lochwepheshe liye lalinganisela ukuthi “ukukhokhela ukulungisa, amacala nokulahlekelwa ibhizinisi kungafinyelela ezigidini eziyizigidi ezine zama-dollar [izigidi eziyizigidi ezingu-23 zamaRandi].” I-New York Post yabhala: “Inkinga yonyaka ka-2000 ivelele njengeyodla imali kunazo zonke ezake zaba khona emlandweni wesintu.” Omunye umbiko uyichaza ‘njengento enkulu kunazo zonke, eyingozi kunazo zonke, nebiza kunazo zonke umuntu ake wabhekana nazo.’

Ukuhluka Kwemibono

Loku kuyokuthinta kanjani? Kuyoxhomeka endaweni ohlala kuyo nasemizamweni eyenziwe izinhlangano osebenzelana nazo, kungase ku-ngakuthinti, kukucasule kancane no-ma kukubangele inkinga enkulu, ikakhulukazi emasontweni okuqala ambalwa ngemva kuka-January 1, 2000. Uma kunokuthile okhathazeka ngakho, mhlawumbe njengomshini othile owusebenzisela impilo, thintana namabhizinisi noma izinhlangano ezikwenzela leyo nkonzo uzibuze ukuthi unyaka ka-2000 uyoba namuphi umphumela kulowo mshini noma kuleyo nkonzo.

Eminyakeni embalwa edlule, kuningi okuye kwashiwo mayelana nenkinga yonyaka ka-2000. Abanye bathi le nkinga inkulu ngempela; abanye bathi kwenziwa ihaba. Kukhona abathi amabhange ayowa, kuyilapho ochwepheshe bamabhange bethi ngonyaka ka-2000, eziningi izinkinga ziyobe sezilungisiwe. “Akekho okholelwa ukuthi uxhaxha lwezingcingo lubheke enhlekeleleni yokwehluleka,” kusho umphathi we-Federal Communications Commission yase-United States. Nokho, wavuma ukuthi kuyoba nezinkinga ekushayeni izingcingo ekuqaleni kwekhulu leminyaka, kodwa wathi kuyoba izinkinga ezicasulayo, ezingeyona inhlekelele. Izinhlangano eziningi kakade sezihlola ngokuzenzela izinsuku emagunjini okuhlolela. Lokhu kungavimbela izinkinga eziningi. Nokho, izwe kuyodingeka lilinde libone ukuthi unyaka ka-2000 uyoba nenkinga kangakanani.