I agree having everyone prepared is the wisest decision, but in saying that are we actually planning for failure, because that is what it sounds like?

At this point in time what infrastructures are 100% going to succeed around the world? I dont know if I should be preparing for an inconvenience of 2 to 4 weeks or a life altering event.

I am not trying to come across as a total pessimist here, but the more you learn about this topic and the more you find out people who are not aware or just starting their year 2000 plans now.

We are not getting a clear picture at this stage January 1999 of what is and is not going to fail. So really the whole world is flying in the dark with this one. We are preparing, not knowing quite what for or how long.

I think all through this year the governments and the media are not going to handle this the right way with the public, they have not done so in 1998 in my country Australia.

-- Tracy Rice (price@sia.net.au), January 20, 1999

Answers

Congratulations Tracy - you just 'got' the second half of being a 'got it'! The first half is realizing that there is a problem. The second half is realizing that there is no way to tell just how bad the problem will be.

Personally, I'd rather take the chance that the DGIs will be laughing and pointing at me in June of '00, and continue to prepare as much as I can, how 'bout you?

Arlin Adams

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), January 20, 1999.

Planning for a life-altering event is a common practice - it's called taking out an insurance policy. One promises to pay a certain sum to an insurance company every month, and in return the insurance company promises to pay a large sum when a claim is made.

For all intents and purposes, Y2K preparedness is self-insurance. The insurance companies (if they're still around) may be able to supply you with money (inedible), while you, smart self-insurer, will be able to provide for yourself and possibly others with items like food and heat that may otherwise be unobtainable with any amount of insurance money.

One side benefit of being prepared for Y2k is that, even if nothing too distressing materializes, you are still inestimably better off in the event of a natural disaster or war.

-- Why2K (who@knows.com), January 20, 1999.

There aren't too many things I'm doing in preparation that don't have some benefit even if it turns out to be unnecessary. Even the grain stockpile, whatever I don't keep and eat (rotating in new storage for other possible disasters?) I'll try to donate to some hunger relief organization.

-- Shimrod (shimrod@lycosmail.com), January 20, 1999.