The Why Zero Zero? (Y00) Problem

by David Zellmer
August 25, 1999

Late last semester the Walk heard that the University was planning to start classes on the hour instead of the traditional ten minutes after. This was a cause for great alarm, since we had been starting the Walk promptly at 12:34 p.m. for the last forty years. We had each waypoint time worked out so that Walk members knew exactly what time it was at each Walk landmark, and could bail out early if they needed to make a 1:10 p.m. class or meeting. For example, if The Crossing was reached at or before 12:54 p.m. it was still possible to complete the Walk, then proceed directly to a class in the Science Building, and arrive before the class started at 1:10 p.m. If classes were to starting at One Zero Zero instead of the traditional 1:10, this system would be in serious jeopardy. This was referred to as the "Why Zero Zero?" (Y00) problem.

There was some discussion of starting a Crusade against this affront to immutable tradition, but we were unsure whom to direct it against. We never got organized, the summer passed, and now it is to late. It has happened. We are painfully trying to shift our times back by ten minutes, but the best we have managed so far is to start The Walk at 12:30 p.m. In time we may be able to shift a minute at a time all the way back to 12:24 p.m., but we cannot manage this change too quickly.

Too late, we learned who the original perpetrators of this atrocity are -- for the first time The Walk will reveal who they are and why they did it.

The originator of the Y00 Problem is Lynda Harding, Director of the Center for Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL). She, along with Susan Vasquez, was concerned about classes coming into our campus via satellite feed.
Courses sent on a satellite downlink all start on the hour. This semester I have heard that five such classes exist, so the entire campus is shifted to bring us all into compliance. It rather reminds us of what happens when one person in our working group gets a new computer with Office 2000 installed. Pretty soon everyone has to upgrade to maintain file compatibility. The Walk is considering applying to the Bill Gates Foundation for Victims of Forced Upgrades, since we should qualify as yet one more group who have become roadkill on the Information Superhighway.

We have no hard feelings, though, Lynda. You have even joined us for at least part of The Walk on a few occasions. You are welcome back anytime, but expect a few hard questions along the way.