(This is mainly for the benefit of our resident pollyannas. Most of us here don't need more fuel for the fire)

I am a software type and I "got it" over six months ago. Nary a day has past since then that I did not go out of my way to make a purchase here or do a little homework there. In most of the cases, the lines were short and the goods for which I was searching plentiful. I have very painstakingly "prepared", and it didn't come without a very substantial investment of my time.

Fast forward six months. In fact, since many of my software brethren today still DGI, DWGI, or Don't really GI, let's fast forward another six months to June 99. Now picture this. The software people that didn't get it then REALLY get it now. They begin making preparations in earnest. The lines are long. The goods are scarce. It takes them a day to do something that took me an hour. At the same time, their y2k project is slipping and new problems are being discovered at an alarming rate.

Question for Pollyannas: What is going to happen to the average Y2K remediation schedule when employees begin getting "sick" more often, start taking three hour lunches, and start spending most of their day on the horn or the web trying in vain to prepare at the height of the panic?

-- a (a@a.a), January 08, 1999

Answers

a,

I have doubts that anyone who "really gets it" at that late date, would put in as much as a token visit to their (former) workplace.

c

-- c (c@c.c), January 09, 1999.

My programming "productivity" is already suffering. Spending time on extended lunches using "company resources" in an unauthorized way browsing different sites such as this. Staying up late like this simultaneously listening to Art Bell. Not taking things as "seriously" on the job ("Ma~nana") as before (which wasn't high on the curve even before). Not getting my 40 hours in.

Every week, I get some more "stuff" -- ammo, propane bottles, camping gear, etc. Gonna ramp that up next week. Looking at maps ...

-- Mr D. (d@d.com), January 09, 1999.

I'm in the same situation as Mr. D. My Y2K-related work is suffering because I know how absolutely futile it is. As '99 rolls on, I see this becoming a bigger problem as more who are working on the problem "get it."

-- Getting Ready (run@hills.com), January 09, 1999.

Hi a.

Question was: <<<<<>>>

It could be that managers and team leaders in charge of remediation efforts may replace ineffective, worried, no-show employees with relatively cheap, young, hungry Indian programmers brought over on H-1B work visas. I imagine these new immigrants will only be too glad to emigrate to the West, y2k or no y2k.

Regards,

Morgan

-- Morgan (morgan96@netscape.net), January 11, 1999.