Exclusive: Microsoft admits 'compliance problems' with Millennium

In an exclusive statement to ZDNet News today, Microsoft has admitted its software has "compliance problems" with the year 2000 and that statements made by the company claiming its software is year 2000 "ready" could be interpreted as misleading and/or confusing.

"It's true," said Mark Taylor, director of consulting at Microsoft in a statement, "we've now found... compliance problems. Our priority is to make sure our customers know about these and how to resolve them."

Asked if people who bought Microsoft software thinking it was able to cope with all Millennium issues may have been misled by the company's previous statements, Taylor said: "That's not an unrealistic thing to say." He also admitted there would be a brief period of confusion following the admission but that "we're doing everything to ensure customers have all the information and help they need."

Last week, the software giant set up The Microsoft Year 2000 Resource Centre to help customers overcome year 2000 problems it previously insisted its software didn't have. But the site was seen as a PR stunt designed to cover the company's backtracking: officials at Microsoft have used the phrase "year 2000 ready", rather than "year 2000 compliant" for its software and the site contains information on Microsoft's own interpretation of compliance