Germany hit by ‘Y2K10’

Posted By Andrew Swift Tuesday, January 5, 2010 - 5:42 PM Share

Y2K has finally hit... about ten years late. Millions of Germans are currently coping with the effects of a systemic breakdown in the country's credit and debit card services. The episode is -- amusingly, except to those affected -- reminding many of the much-feared millennium computer bug.

"A piece of software on the affected cards, programmed by our suppliers, is defective, and cannot correctly recognize this year's number, 2010," the German DSGV banking association said on Tuesday.

Germans have been caught without massive supplies of bottled water, canned food, flashlights and first-aid kits -- but it seems life will go on. Fewer than half of German cards are affected, though that's little comfort to the many that've had their credit card eaten by the ATM.

Banking officials are claiming the problem will be fixed by next week.

JOHN MACDOUGALL AFP/GETTY IMAGES

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