Y2k what is it

Y2k what is it

Clay Halton is an Editor at Investopedia and has been working in the finance publishing field for more than three years. He largely writes and edits personal finance content, with a focus on LGBTQ+ finance.

What Is Y2K?

Y2K is the shorthand term for «the year 2000.» Y2K was commonly used to refer to a widespread computer programming shortcut that was expected to cause extensive havoc as the year changed from 1999 to 2000. Instead of allowing four digits for the year, many computer programs only allowed two digits (e.g., 99 instead of 1999). As a result, there was immense panic that computers would be unable to operate at the turn of the millennium when the date descended from «99» to «00».

Key Takeaways

Understanding Y2K

In the years and months leading up to the turn of the millennium, computer experts and financial analysts feared that the switch from the two-digit year ’99 to ’00 would wreak havoc on computer systems ranging from airline reservations to financial databases to government systems. Millions of dollars were spent in the lead-up to Y2K in IT and software development to create patches and workarounds to squash the bug.

While there were a few minor issues once Jan. 1, 2000, arrived, there were no massive malfunctions. Some people attribute the smooth transition to major efforts undertaken by businesses and government organizations to correct the Y2K bug in advance. Others say that the problem was overstated and wouldn’t have caused significant problems regardless.

Special Considerations

At the time, which was the early days of the internet, the Y2K scare—or the Millennium bug as it was also called—had many plausible reasons for concern. For instance, for much of financial history, financial institutions have not generally been considered cutting edge technology-wise.

Knowing most big banks ran on dated computers and technologies, it wasn’t irrational for depositors to worry the Y2K issue would seize the banking system up, thereby preventing people from withdrawing money or engaging in important transactions. Extended to a global scale, these worries of an epidemic-like panic had international markets holding their breath heading into the turn of the century.

In response, the United States government passed the Year 2000 Information and Readiness Disclosure Act to prepare for the event and formed a President’s Council that consisted of senior officials from the administration and officials from agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The council monitored efforts made by private companies to prepare their systems for the event.

In actuality, the episode came and went with little fanfare.

What Led to Y2K?

Y2K came about largely due to economics. At the dawn of the computer age, the programs being written required the type of data storage that was extremely costly. Since not many anticipated the success of this new technology or the speed with which it would take over, firms were judicious in their budgets. This lack of foresight, especially given that the millennium was just about 40 years away, led to programmers being forced to using a 2-digit code instead of a 4-digit code to designate the year.

Why Was Y2K Scary?

Experts feared that the switch from the two-digit year ’99 to ’00 would wreak havoc on computer systems ranging from airline reservations to financial databases to government systems. For instance, the banking system relied on dated computers and technologies and it wasn’t irrational for depositors to worry about being able to withdraw funds or engage in important transactions. Bankers were worried that interest might be calculated for a thousand years (1000 to 1999) instead of a single day.

Опять 2000-е: Что такое Y2K

За последний год популярность этого стиля настолько возросла, что мы, буквально, переживаем огненную смесь 90-х и 00-х заново. С поправками, более стильно и гармонично, с ориентирами на современные тренды, но всё же это то самое. Эстетика таких фильмов, как «Дрянные девчонки» и сериала «Друзья» снова напомнила о том, какие же ужасно стильные тренды были в нулевых.

На самом деле название «Y2K», которое расшифровывается, как «проблема 2000-го года» никогда не обозначало какое-либо направление в стиле. Этот термин произошёл от такого волнующего события, как огромное количество программных сбоев по всему миру. Случилось это из-за того, что до нулевых в данных с четырехзначными числами, обозначающими год, обрабатывались только две последние цифры. Эта ситуация могла повредить или удалить вовсе огромное количество данных из используемых на тот момент систем.

Массовая культура перетянула термин себе и с тех пор «Проблема нулевых» это те самые джинсы на низкой талии, розовые топы со стразами и нелепыми принтами, телефон-раскладушка и много-много блеска. Спустя десятилетие этот стиль снова возродился, при этом влился в культуру настолько органично, как будто и не уходил.

Причина этому очень простая: слишком молодые люди не застали в полной мере эту эстетику и изучают её, как что-то новое и свежее. У более взрослой аудитории возвращение «моды их молодости» вызывает тёплую ностальгию и желание достать с верхней полки те самые джинсы.

А вот что было популярно тогда, но можно носить и сейчас:

Что такое стиль Y2K, на котором все помешались

Как расшифровывается и что представляет из себя популярная аббревиатура, которая уже второй год мелькает в Сети. И какое отношение к этому имеет мода?

Наверняка вам не раз попадались на глаза подобные образы, но вы не знали, как называется этот стиль. Минималистичные и в то же время яркие фотосессии с отсылкой к миру «Барби» и Пэрис Хилтон, заполонившие Интернет пару лет назад, объединяются в течение Y2K. Как это расшифровывается и что включает в себя такая эстетика, читайте в нашем материале.

Проблема 2000 года

На самом деле термин Y2K не имеет никакого отношения к моде — его использовали разработчики и программисты еще около тридцати лет назад. Аббревиатура Y2K расшифровывается как Y — year (год), 2 и K — kilo (1000) и обозначает так называемую «Проблему 2000 года».

Она заключалась в том, что до конца 1999 года в данных с четырехзначными числами, обозначающими год, обрабатывались только две последние цифры. Так, при наступлении нового тысячелетия старые программы могли принять 2000 год за 1900-ый, и в этом специалисты видели риски огромных сбоев. Впрочем, ряд специалистов утверждает, что проблема была специально раздута, чтобы американские компании заработали больше прибыли на программном обеспечении. Так или иначе, IT-компании успешно перешли рубеж, а явление дало название модному течению.

Вопрос несостыковки двух тысячелетий был переосмыслен и в массовой культуре. Именно в «нулевые» появилась вся та атрибутика, которая возродилась через двадцать лет в современных социальных сетях.

Y2k what is it

Y2K (also known as Kaybug) is an aesthetic that was prevalent in popular culture from roughly 1997 to 2004. Named after the Y2K Bug, it is characterized by a distinct aesthetic period, encapsulating fashion, hardware design, music, and furnishings shining with tech optimism — sometimes literally. Some of its aspects include tight leather pants, shiny clothing, silver eyeshadow, spiky updos, Oakleys, gradients, translucence, and Blobitecture. Most Y2K aesthetics rely on the use of technology and slick futuristic looks, signaling the optimism of a new era as the 20th century/2nd millennium progressed into the 21st century/3rd millennium. The Y2K era ended around the end of 2004 and was succeeded by the Frutiger Aero and McBling era.

Y2K aesthetics are often classified as a subcategory of another futuristic aesthetic, Retro-Futurism. Some elements of Y2K also cross over with Vaporwave, another Retro-Futurist aesthetic, since it shares Vaporwave’s angst towards late-stage capitalism, and its nostalgia for a future that never came. However, the Y2K aesthetic has not yet been explored by the Vaporwave scene as much as earlier, more ubiquitous periods, such as the ’80s/early ’90s neon aesthetics like Memphis and Synthwave. [1]

Contents

History

First signs of the Y2K aesthetic appeared around 1995 to 1996, with the release of Windows 95, the start of the Internet boom, the original PlayStation and Nintendo 64 being released, the movies Hackers and Scream, the PS1 game Wipeout, Pokemon being released in Japan, the Spice Girls, Robyn, Moloko, and Backstreet Boys debuting in Europe, and the music video for Michael and Janet Jackson’s «Scream».

The Y2K era became well-defined by 1997, replacing the Core ’90s era which had been known for its grittier aesthetics such as Grunge. The Spice Girls’ single «Wannabe» was released in the U.S. and gained international popularity, leading to a new era in teen pop, and in a Super Bowl ad that year the Spice Girls heralded the arrival of «Generation Next». Limp Bizkit also debuted that year with Three Dollar Bill, Y’all which led to the mainstreaming of nu-metal, post-grunge started to become popular with bands like Creed, Hanson released «Mmmbop», and more music videos by artists such Puff Daddy («Mo Money Mo Problems»), Will Smith («Gettin’ Jiggy wit It», «Men in Black»), and the Spice Girls («Say You’ll Be There») were done in the Y2K style. WWF entered the edgier Attitude Era, and had gotten rid of its Memphis aesthetics (from the New Generation Era) by March 1998. South Park and King of the Hill premiered, and Cartoon Network debuted the Toonami block which mainstreamed anime in the U.S. The PS1 and N64 were now in full-swing with games such as Final Fantasy VII and Goldeneye. The movies Titanic and Men in Black was released which are regarded as Y2K phenomena. Y2K fashions such as frosted tips, soul patches, and JNCOs were becoming popular. The Y2K era then took off in full force from 1998 to 2000, with things such as Pokemania, Limp Bizkit, NSYNC, TRL, The Matrix, TOM replacing Moltar on Toonami, and Britney Spears hitting their peak popularity. Y2K peaked around late 1999/early 2000, coinciding with the turn of the millennium and apex of the dot-com bubble. [2]

The Y2K era gradually declined from 2000 to 2004 as the contentious 2000 U.S. presidential election, the dot-com bubble bursting, 9/11, the anthrax scares, and the Iraq War dampened optimism for the new millennium. However, residual aesthetics from the era still remained popular during this time. It’s difficult to pinpoint when this era ended as it was gradually phased out. Many would point to the tail end of 2004, specifically the 2004-2005 school year.

2004, especially the first three quarters of the year, was the last hurrah of the Y2K aesthetic. Cartoon Network debuted the CN City era in June of 2004. Initially, the programming was similar to that of the Powerhouse era. However, by the end of the year, most of the older shows had ended. Nickelodeon went through a similar transition as well. The final major «nu metal» albums were released in 2004. The first Web 2.0 conference was held in October 2004, and MySpace was on the rise. The sixth generation of consoles had their last major year of popularity. Additionally, The Rock retired from WWE, Marvel’s Blade series ended, and The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie was released, marking the end of pre-movie SpongeBob. By 2005, the Y2K aesthetic had more or less vanished completely. After Y2K ended, it gave way to the McBling and Frutiger Aero aesthetics, which contained similarities to Y2K but were also distinct in their own right. Although not as popular these days, Y2K culture can still be seen in various circles of the Internet and niche entertainment but is starting to see a bit of a resurgence in its imagery in pop culture as late ’90s/early 2000s nostalgia has started coming back in fashion, such as in «1999» by Charli XCX, «2002» by Anne Marie, and «Motivation» by Normani.

Visuals

Ivy Hollivana – Dear Deathwaters (2019)

Perhaps the future of the Y2K Sound?

Graphics and art

Y2K aesthetics use both 2D and 3D art. 2D art usually features thick lines, bold minimalism, and heavy use of iconography. 3D art is more «blobby» looking, has more gradients, and generally looks very shiny. Common colors used in Y2K art are, but not limited to, chrome, icy blue, ocean, bright oranges, glossy white, and black (for lineworks).

One of the earliest definers of the Y2K aesthetic is the Designers Republic, a Sheffield-based graphic design studio best known for their work on the video game series Wipeout as well as various album artwork, especially for artists on the electronica label Warp Records. Founded by Ian Anderson and Nick Phillips in 1986, they were best known for making art that subverts brash consumerism and the uniformity of corporate culture (similar to what Vaporwave has done since then). Like vaporwave, much of their work also drew inspiration from Japanese anime (which was beginning to rise in popularity around the same time).

Toys and technology

Being that this was the era that the cell phone was first starting to become popular among your average consumer, you can find a lot of nods to the original models of cell phones (such as the original Nokia phones or the clamshell/flip phones) within the Y2K subculture. Also popular around this time was the Blobject, a type of design product (often a household object) distinguished by smooth flowing curves, bright translucent colors (part of the then-popular clear craze fad), and an absence of sharp edges. The word is generally held to be a portmanteau, a contraction of «blob» and «object.» The VideoNow, Game Boy Advance Video, HitClips, and JuiceBox are some examples of Y2K era technology, and Poo-Chi, iDog, iCybie, and Tamagotchi are some examples of Y2K era toys.

Blobitecture

Blobitecture, also known as ‘blobism’, is a term given to a post-modern architectural style characterized by curved and rounded building shapes, or ‘blob architecture’. Blobitecture buildings appear to have an organic form that is soft and free-flowing, yet comes together to produce a complex whole. Blobitecture buildings started popping up around the late 90’s/early 2000s to reflect a lot of the trends at the time, giving the buildings something of a «futuristic» look at the time (by the standards of what constituted futuristic at that time period).

Fashion

Y2K is a very new concept, but with certain brands that were popular at the time still existing, one could easily predict these brands could potentially play a huge role in Y2K. Basically, you’d either look like a late ’90s/early 2000s raver or a member of a boy band from the time.

Also, it should be noted a lot of Holosexual aesthetics and style can turn up in Y2K fashion as well (due to its usage in futuristic fashion at the time).

Media

Early 2000s Commercials

A compilation of Y2K-themed commercials.

Movies

TV shows

Video games

When people think of Y2K gaming, most could tell you about the fifth (PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, GameBoy Color) and sixth (Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, GameBoy Advance) generations of consoles, their respective lines of games, and their low-poly visuals (particularly noticeable in the 5th gen games).

During the late ’90s and early 2000s, Sega had attempted to make one last console before they went out of business. The Dreamcast, released in 1999, had shown Sega’s ability to make creative and innovative games. The most Y2K-esque game was 1999s Space Channel 5, a rhythm game intended for a «casual female audience» that was applauded for its retro art style and soundtrack, encapsulating a lot of what people admired about Y2K aesthetics.

Another Dreamcast game that could be considered Y2K-inspired is 2000’s Jet Set Radio, which, while not having the slick designs of Space Channel 5, captured other aspects such as Japanese punk fashion and early 2000s hip-hop. Jet Set Radio would also use iconography-inspired graphics for its UI. Jet Set Radio Future, its 2002 sequel, integrated even more Y2K aesthetics into its art and gameplay.

Rez, released by Sega/UGA in 2001 for the Dreamcast and 2002 for the PS2, had a wireframe-y Y2K aesthetic, as the game centered round a computer virus nicknamed Swayzak invading the mainframe of a computer to reveal the true being at her core.

Yet more Sega games that embodied this aesthetic are Sonic Adventure (1998), Sonic Adventure 2 (2001), and Sonic Heroes (2003), particularly SA1 with its janky-yet-charming visuals and atmospheric Y2K music.

On the Sony end of the spectrum, no game series does a better job of embodying the Y2K aesthetic than the Wipeout series, with art done by the aforementioned Designers Republic, even with recent iterations like Wipeout HD (2008) and Wipeout 2048 (2012). Metal Gear Solid, developed by Konami, had many Y2K aesthetics, as well.

Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere also used a Y2K futurism aesthetic in its user interface, fictional aircraft designs, and soundtrack.

Other companies attempted to use Y2K aesthetics as a promotion for consoles, controllers, and games. Even Flash games on websites had the Y2K aesthetic, such as Cartoon Network’s Toonami games (Toonami: Trapped in Hyperspace in particular being a whole 3D FPS similar to Y2K aesthetic games Descent and Virus: The Game).

Some other games that could be considered Y2K aesthetic are Ridge Racer, PaRappa the Rapper, Half-Life, Gex: Enter the Gecko, Marvel vs. Capcom and its sequel, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, Sinistar Unleashed, Dropship: United Peace Force, Red Alert 2, and Pokémon Puzzle League.

Recently, the Indie game scene started to get inspired by the Y2K revival wave and the developers to revisit the aesthetic. One of the first games is CROSSNIQ+, a puzzle arcade game mimicking the Dreamcast puzzles made by Max Kriegler. Another example is Hypnospace Outlaw, and it’s upcoming sequel, Dreamsettler, with Hypnospace Outlaw, a game taking place in 1999, having it’s final parts of the game taking place in an upgraded operating system with Y2K stylization, and it’s upcoming sequel Dreamsettler taking place in 2003, with a OS inspired by Y2K stylized operating systems of it’s time, like Mac OS X and Windows XP. The upcoming indie games Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, Neon White, and varied indie first-person shooter games SPRAWL, Ghostware: Arena of the Dead, and EXOCIDE, all yet to be released soon, embrace this aesthetic as well.

Music

Ivy Hollivana – Breaking Point (2019)

Since Y2K was about embracing the future, the tone of music also reflected this. Electronic music was the go-to genre to capture this era as a musician. Record labels associated with Y2K include System Records and Eldia.

The most well-known music associated with Y2K is big beat, a subgenre of electronic music that used «heavy breakbeats and synthesizer-generated loops and patterns». Bands such as the Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, the Crystal Method, Junkie XL, and Propellerheads performed this music during the ’90s. However, the genre has since become less prevalent in the mainstream, with modern examples being few and far in between.

Other genres used during the Y2K era were jungle, drum n’ bass, trip-hop (like Portishead, Massive Attack, Moloko or Tricky), and trance. Much like big beat (and what ultimately inspired big beat to begin with), these genres have a heavy emphasize on techno-style music, with fast beats and use of synthesizers. To this day, these genres are still used in EDM scenes all over.

Bubblegum eurodance was also common during the Y2K era. Aqua, the band responsible for the 1997 hit «Barbie Girl», is often attributed as being the most popular example of this genre, with an honorable mention going to Eiffel 65, known for their 1998 single «Blue (Da Ba Dee)».

The Y2K aesthetic can also be seen in the music video to the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ «Californication». The video takes the form of a fictional open-world video game that depicts each of the band members on an adventure in a California setting.

R&B and hip-hop also transitioned from the Golden Age/Gangsta Rap & G-Funk Era into the Bling/Shiny Suit/Jiggy Era. Many R&B and hip-hop artists used Y2K aesthetics in music videos, such as TLC in their «No Scrubs» video, Jennifer Lopez in «If You Had My Love» or Janet Jackson in «Doesn’t Really Matter».

Other

Y2K aesthetics were used in architecture, such as the Encounter Restaurant at LAX, which opened in 1997, and was the filming location of the US music video for Moloko’s «Fun For Me.»

Even theme park attractions used the Y2K aesthetic. One of the earliest examples of Y2K could be considered The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, which opened at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom park in December 1994. Disney would later capitalize on the Y2K aesthetic with DisneyQuest, a virtual reality entertainment center located in Walt Disney World’s Downtown Disney, with a second location in Chicago, Illinois. They also had the ESPN Zone dining and interactive experiences in major cities. On the other side of the pond, Sega opened Sega World Sydney in Darling Harbour, Australia, and Sega World London at the Trocadero in London. Sega also partnered with DreamWorks to establish GameWorks, a series of arcades found at major cities.

Y2K in modern culture

Some have taken an interest in the aesthetic in recent times. Evan Collins coined the term in 2016 and runs the Y2K Aesthetic Institute along with Froyo Tam. They archive parts of the aesthetic, such as graphic designs, flyers, game console designs, video game concept art, fashion, etc. and chronicle both art from the era the aesthetic was popular, as well as modern depictions of the aesthetic. Tam has also made Ferrite Core DX and other open-source typefaces inspired by Y2K typography.

Another example of modern-Y2K aesthetics being used is the indie puzzle game known as CROSSNIQ+, which utilizes the more bold, thick-line aesthetics seen in Y2K cartoon styles. Also run by Krieger and The Y2K Institute is u::r::here, a free virtual gallery dedicated to showing off Y2K art and aesthetics.

So far there is only one community forum that is based on Y2K aesthetics and that is Agora Road’s Macintosh Cafe. Which coins itself as a «nostalgic Y2K community».

The aesthetic seems to be breaking into pop culture, such as the Charli XCX and Troye Sivan song 1999.

DV-i is a music artist seeking to revive the feel of Y2K techno and drum and bass. Porter Robinson (under the alias of Virtual Self) also creates Y2K-inspired electronic music. Dance System incomporates Y2K visuals and ambient into 2000’s house music in his debut album Where’s the party at?.

Virtual YouTuber Yuuki Takemoto experienced the Y2K era, and incorporates it into her videos and art.

The artist named «Ivy Hollivana» seems to invoke a lot of the Y2K imagery in her music videos.

Resources

External links to help get a better understanding of this aesthetic.

Y2k what is it

Содержание

История [ ]

Визуал [ ]

Ivy Hollivana – Dear Deathwaters (Official Music Video)

Графика и искусство [ ]

Эстетика Y2K использует как 2D, так и 3D искусство. 2D-искусство обычно отличается толстыми линиями, смелым минимализмом и интенсивным использованием иконографии. 3D-изображения выглядят более «кляксовыми», имеют больше градиентов и в целом выглядят очень блестящими. Обычными цветами, используемыми в искусстве Y2K, являются хром, ледяной синий, цвет океана, ярко-оранжевый, глянцевый белый и черный (для линий).

Игрушки и техника [ ]

Блобитектура [ ]

Кроме того, следует отметить, что эстетика и стиль Holosexual могут появиться и в моде Y2K (из-за того, что в то время они использовались в футуристической моде).

Медиа [ ]

Видеоигры [ ]

Когда люди думают об играх Y2K, большинство может рассказать вам о консолях шестого поколения (Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, GameBoy Advance) и соответствующих линейках игр. Пятое поколение игр (PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, GameBoy Color) также содержало ранние элементы Y2K, соединяя 90-е годы Core с эрой 2000-го года.

Музыка [ ]

Ivy Hollivana – Breaking Point (2019)

Поскольку Y2K заключалась в принятии будущего, тон музыки также отражал это. Электронная музыка была популярным жанром, отражающим эту эпоху.

Другими жанрами, использовавшимися в Y2K, были джангл, драм-н-бэйс и транс. Подобно биг-биту (и тому, что в конечном итоге послужило вдохновением для биг-бита), в этих жанрах делается упор на музыку в стиле техно, с быстрыми битами и использованием синтезаторов. По сей день эти жанры все еще используются в EDM повсюду.

Бабблгам и евродэнс были распространены и в эпоху 2000 года. Aqua, группу, написавшую в 1997 году хит «Barbie Girl», часто называют самым популярным примером этого жанра, с почетным упоминанием Eiffel 65, известной своим синглом 1998 года «Blue (Da Ba Dee)».

Эстетику Y2K можно также увидеть в музыкальном видео на песню Red Hot Chili Peppers «Californication». Видео представляет собой вымышленную видеоигру с открытым миром, в которой каждый из участников группы изображает приключение в калифорнийском окружении.

Многие хип-хоп исполнители использовали эстетику Y2K в музыкальных клипах, например, TLC в своем видео «No Scrubs», хотя в Y2K Aesthetics Institute есть видео с текстами песен артиста по имени «Ivy Hollivana», которая, кажется, много обращается к образу Y2K в ее музыкальных клипах, так что потенциально она могла бы быть для Y2K Music, как Дэниел Лопатин или Джеймс Ферраро были для Vaporwave.

Y2K в современной культуре [ ]

Некоторые в последнее время проявили интерес к эстетике. Институт эстетики Y2K (управляемый Фройо Тэм и Эван Коллинз) архивирует элементы эстетики, такие как графический дизайн, флаеры, дизайн игровых консолей, концепт-арт видеоигр, мода и т.д. Они ведут хронику искусства той эпохи, когда эстетика была популярна, а также современные изображения эстетики. Тэм также создал Ferrite Core DX и другие гарнитуры с открытым исходным кодом, вдохновленные типографикой Y2K.

Пока существует только один форум сообщества, основанный на эстетике Y2K, и это Agora Road’s Macintosh Cafe, который позиционирует себя как «ностальгическое сообщество по Y2K».

Кажется, что эстетика прорывается в поп-культуру, например, песня «1999» Charli XCX и Troye Sivan.

Ресурсы [ ]

Внешние ссылки, которые помогут лучше понять эту эстетику.