Assurance-based Y2K testing

Describes assurance techniques for Year-2000 (Y2K) testing. The Y2K problem is an important issue in the computer industry today, and testing is still the main technique for quality assurance. There is a need to ensure that the software is reasonably safe from Y2K faults after testing. This paper uses a statistical model for ensuring this, and it explicitly models Y2K faults as well as the ripples induced by Y2K modifications. The paper then describes two processes that use the model in practice: a bottom-up process that can be used together with software development, and a top-down process that can be used when the project is almost completed. These processes can be easily embedded in an existing testing process with minimal changes and minimal extra effort.