I've been in the PC systems and networking business for several years. The potential problems that Y2K poses dont escape me. But will there be a complete infrastructure shutdown that some are suggesting here. Sure some databases will be affected and some data lose is likely, but complete shutdown? I need more proof. Set your own PC's Bios to read minutes before the impending date. Shut down, wait for several minutes and restart. Now, you will have some date problems by doing this. Accounting packages, date books, Internet Cookies, and some other programs are "affected" but functional. I currently can't see the imminent shutdown of civilization that some are afraid of. This will be a problem, but a manageable one. Please, someone prove my assertions wrong.

-- Chris Klug (csi@nwlink.com), June 16, 1998

Answers

Hi Chris,

First of all, even though I know it sounds like a cliche, I'm glad you asked that question (I think). It got me working like crazy yesterday on the last three things you'll see on the list of items in the "Tools You Can Use Section" of the Millennium Salons web site. The "Unoffical FAQ" by Pam Hystad, in particular.

I'm not going to go into any long thing here about this. I'll just say that your question is the 64-zillion dollar question that's driving everyone wild over this whole issue. It's a completely legitimate question. Unfortunately, it appears that the most simple and basic answer to it is, "No. It's not." I think if you click that link above and do a little reading in that "Tools You Can Use" section of the site, you'll soon see what I mean. And if you follow that up with taking a peek at some of the links listed in either Wayne Schumacher's "Let's Not Get Blind Sided By Y2K," or Pam's document, you'll probably see it even more clearly.

The most basic thing everyone hopes, of course, is that the answer to your question is, "Well. What do you know? We were overreacting. Good. Now we can get back to normal life." Everyone hopes that all the people who think it's going to be fixed well enough by January 1st 2000, or that it's not going to be that bad, are right. But... The question I keep in the front of my mind is, "What if they're not?"

Essentially, that's what this web site and this forum is all about. It's about fixing as many things in advance as we can, and being as prepared as possible, on a communitywide basis (whatever exactly that means to people), Just In Case.

So even though your question seemed to play a big role in keeping me up until about 4:00 this morning (I wanted to get that stuff up on web pages before I answered you so I could point you to it which led to more work than I thought), I'm glad you asked it. I'd been meaning to get around to doing that job, but had been putting it off...

Thanks for your input.

And keep coming back!

Bill

-- Bill (billdale@lakesnet.net), June 17, 1998.

Chris-

I keep hoping someone will prove _us_ wrong! Your question is a very good one, and represents exactly my position about 4 months ago. However, the more research I did (legit sites like our government and professional organizations), the "worrieder" I got. You might bookmark this site ..

http://www.itpolicy.gsa.gov/mks/year2000/fac.htm

(there are many others) and monitor it regularly. Keep doing your surfing around sites you trust. Then, you be the judge.

And, if, in the process of doing _your_ research, you can come up with solid evidence that we don't have to worry so much, POST IT ASAP! It would be nice to get some more sleep at night!

Good luck!

-Wayne Schumacher

-- Wayne Schumacher (Schumacher@sou.edu), June 17, 1998.

Chris, in the time that I have spent on educating myself on this subject, I have encountered dozens of skeptics on the subject. They are invariably in the computer industry, mostly either employed as programmers or retired from same. They all have the same skeptical opinion. They all respond with opinions that SEEM to be lacking in education and research on the Y2K subject. All are relying on their own "narrow" level of experience. Please, do not take this as a personal rebuff. You need to know that you are not alone in your skepticism, however, you are basing your opinion on only what you know as a programmer and are lacking crucial information that is available. Remember, you are addressing a public who, by means of a critical level of concern, have made the effort to educate themselves on the risks of Y2k in their lives. What has been uncovered is not pretty, and it is far more encompassing than fixing dates on a bunch of ancient computer programs. Please, do the research, as all of us non-techies have done. You can start with one of the more profound documents in current circulation: The Center for Strategic and International Studies broadcasted on CSPAN in early June. http://www.csis.org/html/y2ktran.html

-- Bingo (habatat@rof.net), June 22, 1998.