Intelligent people developed civiliztion. How did we then get to y2K? It can only be because of massive greed, wholesale denial or centralized conspiracies. Or a combination thereof.

-- End Of Rope (caughtin@net.net), October 25, 1998

Answers

Not really. More like incompetent, unresponsive management and unfortunate coding choices combined with the second law of themodynamics as applied to computer code (entropy/disorder ALWAYS increases). However, the govt will be very willing to feed your paranoia. Our society demands a scapegoat. Soon it will be those third world hackers who prevent solution of this trivial problem or some variation on that theme. Maybe the KGB files that are now becoming public will be uncovered to show it was all a commie conspiracy from the 50's. You watch - the blame will never be placed where it belongs - here, on us, we did it.

-- R. D..Herring (drherr@erols.com), October 25, 1998.

I think most of the Y2K problem stems from post WWI boom mentality...the anomalous 1950s decade that was, with all technological advances, like a kid in a candy store. It was all onward and upward, and bigger and better and more, more, more...So, transfer of the control of critical systems was incremental, and welcome...cos after all we were headed for the stars. More labor saving please, and never mind that we are really working MORE instead of less....

It was the semi-conscious and gleeful embracing of all that wonderful technology made possible, never before even a glimmer in the whole of human history that did it. Caused laziness of thought...lack of foresight. Remember...Y2K is not a mistake...it was a purposedful design...it was "never mind later...we have this NOW..and others will SURELY take care of any problem we have left."

I keep thinking about the indigenous peoples' philosophy and practice that no decisions were made that were not investigated into the future 7th generation...This was of course not done with the mainframe information processing that now powers our lovely planetary human systems.

Another thought is that "why" questions are only pertinent if applied to the notion what we don't want to make the same mistake again....Right now what is needful is to plan how to survive and thrive beyond the problems created when the reality of "Damn the torpedos" thinking was ignored.

So my suggestion for another question is: How now?

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), October 25, 1998.

That "never mind later...we have this NOW..and others will SURELY take care of any problem we have left" is still with us. Now it's shaped as "Next quarter; earnings now" and "They'll fix it."

I swear, I'm going to make a teeshirt that says "Buy beans; store water." If people don't look past the moment pretty soon there won't be a who to do the how.

My hope, of course, is that there will be a magic moment in the silent dark, when we're all humbled enough to recognize our common humanity, to take our neighbor's hand, to walk chastened into the new day with saner minds and awakened hearts. The how, it seems to me, has to do, essentially, with what Albert Schweitzer called "reverence for life." I hope we find it.

-- Faith Weaver (faith-weaver@usa.net), October 25, 1998.

Faith

We need a thread for "Best Y2Tee-Shirt Design..."

Start it with yours, please.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (cook.r@csaatl.com), October 25, 1998.

One reason - lack of professionalism in IT, or three Sloppy programming, lack of standards, incredulous management.

Maybe the one reason is incredulity, everyone is guilty of that (except De Yourdon posters).

-- Richard Dale (rdale@figroup.co.uk), October 26, 1998.

End of the Rope,

-- Walter (papa_of_nine@msn.com), October 29, 1998.

End of the Rope, A couple of good books I would recommend written by accredted authors are:Tradgedy and Hope by Carroll Quigley and Keys To this Blood By Malachi Martin. They have some terrific insight on on recent history and causes for the current demise ,y2k global economic disaster etc that we face as a society. What bothers me is that these books were written ten to twenty years ago and the reputations of the author are above reproach especially in Quigleys case.It is our lack of serching for real answers or history that have lead us to y2k.To often we leave the news media etc. to fill our heads without questioning their validity. As we now see with y2k there is so much govermaent and mainstream media downplay that many people will be totally unprepared for the least y2k ripple. Who will be blamed for this kind of cover-up and disinformation that will possibly affect millions of lives? The Ed Yourdons, Gary Norths etc. have been called doomsayers ,crazys etc. while the "Leaders" and the media were saying "THERES NO NEED TO PANIC" Sad to say,rather than an orderly march into the millenium it will be a stampede of chaos Prepare for the absolute worst, hope for the a ripple.

-- Walter (papa_of_nine@msn.com), October 29, 1998.

I've posted in these discussions many times, under different pseudonyms, although I really want to use my real name because I like people. And that is weird.

Consider what they have done to me. Not even my in-laws learned this until they read my memoir just recently. I will publicize it now because I foresaw the present state of affairs many years ago.

Here's what people did to me:

1. I was fire-bomed as a baby. 2. I was a abandoned by my father. 3. I starved for years. 4. I was homeless for years. Without income, power, water, heat, light or toilet. 5. I was tricked into slavery in a foreign country. 6. I suffered culture shock. 7. I was cheated out of a big inheritence by 2 dozen lawyers. 7. Ad nauseum.

All of this before I was 20 years old.

Crucifixion would have been a wonderfull alternative.

Yet, I worked my way to a college degree.

I've been married for 33 years to my first and only wife and still love her dearly.

I don't like what I see for our future.

I foresee TEOTWAWKI and yearn for my good old days.

Without Schadenfreude.

P.S. Esrischia, how did you become so wise?

-- End of Rope (caughtin@net.net), October 29, 1998.

not woderfull but wonderful

-- end of rope (caughtin@net.net), October 29, 1998.