Each month in this Journal, our technical support staff addresses issues of interest to many CSI subscribers in a question-and-answer format. 

Notice:
  The views and information expressed in this document reflect the opinions and experience of the author Robert C. Pelletier.  Neither CSI nor the author undertake or intend to provide tax advice or trading advice in any market or endorse any outside individual or firm.  All recommendations are provided for their informational value only.  Readers should consult competent financial advisors or outside counsel before making any software purchase or investment decision.  CSI does not stand behind or endorse the products of any outside firms.

Copyright (c) 1999 Commodity Systems Inc. (CSI).  All rights are reserved.

Q.
    What has CSI done to prepare for the year 2000?

A.
    We launched our Year 2000 program in early 1997 to verify that all data collection systems will function in the new year. Our goal is to achieve seamless processing for all CSI systems and applications, resulting in uninterrupted business operation and service to our customers. Our client software is fully Y2K compliant, as are our accounting and billing systems. The facilities at our offices are also considered Y2K compliant. We are testing internal systems and applications as well as connections to both stock and futures exchanges and data providers. We successfully participated in both the Securities Industry Association's industry-wide beta "street" test in 1998, and the full street test conducted in April of 1999. These were tests of the exchanges (e.g. New York Stock Exchange) and utilities and the financial organizations that communicate with them electronically. The conversion of CSI's core systems is now complete and these systems will be tested throughout the remainder of 1999.

Q.
    What should I do to prepare for updates in the year 2000?

A.
    Clients who access the CSI Data Center via CSI software should make sure that they have Y2K compliant versions (see below) in order to avoid any interruption of service. Clients who access with their own software are responsible for their own Y2K compliance and should make sure that their software will function correctly within the limitations of their data file format.

    The current version of our DOS download software, QuickTrieve® 4.09e, is fully Y2K compliant and may be downloaded free of charge by all users who are currently using QuickTrieve version 4.0 or higher. QuickTrieve for Windows is also fully Y2K compliant. Unfair Advantage® is Y2K compliant starting with version 1.72.2. Please visit our website at www.csidata.com  if you need to download new software or call our technical support staff at 561-392-8663 to order a disk (if needed).

    The output file formats differ in how and whether they represent dates. The CSI and CSIM formats allow for full dates in the current versions. MetaStock® version 6.5 and higher will continue to read CSIM files after 1999. This applies to files created by either the Unfair Advantage or QuickTrieve software. For all other files formats, the file either always had the century (1997, for example) or never had the century (97, for example.) If your software uses a two-digit date file, it must recognize and correctly interpret dates.

Q.
    What will happen if an exchange or some other market participant is having computer problems?

A.
   We cannot guarantee that all exchanges and other market participants will avoid computer problems in the Year 2000, but we have a program in place to electronically contact and test compliance with our critical business providers. Throughout 1999 we will be testing with many of these organizations and, based on the result of this testing, will decide whether to continue to do business with these organizations, or do business with another organization instead. CSI is committed to having its systems ready for the Year 2000. 

Q.
    Is there any way I can continue to use QuickTrieve version 4.07F and download data from CSI after 12/31/99? 

A.
    No! All QuickTrieve for DOS versions 4.09d and earlier will cease to work properly after 12/31/1999. You must download and install an upgrade (either v.4.09e for DOS or QT for Windows) prior to this date to avoid the risk of corrupting your database. 

Q.
    Can my own third-party and custom programs continue to use a two-digit date format in the year 2000?

A.
    That depends on whether you construct ASCII files or use the QT file format directly. If you use ASCII files, you can create files in the older two-year format by setting a switch under "change user constants." It will eliminate the century in the output file. Of course, it is still up to your program to interpret these two-digit years properly. Even though the year is in a two-digit format, this does not guarantee that an existing program will continue to function properly after 12/31/1999. If you use QT format files directly, then you will have to change your programs to incorporate the Y2K changes.