Mod Note: Posts #1 - #17 originally in this thread.
The 'millenium bug' wasn't a single fault or failure, it was the consequences of decades of programming short cuts that only represented the date as two digits - i.e. ending in 99 meaning 1999, as no computers or their operating systems were working before the 20th century and many programmers didn't forsee that their software would malfunction at the turn of the century, (the media decided that the 'millenium' was abetter headline). Each of the possibilities needed to be evaluated which is what took the time. Updating to compliant software was relatively simple but disruptive in a live system, - once it had been written, tested, certified and released.Possibly with Article 216.
Incidentally, just what did go into stopping the 'Millennium Bug' - you don't have to reply here (would be holding up the thread) a pm will do - if you have time.