Pretty decent overview of the US repair effort, courtesy the LA TIMES:

Across the U.S., Y2K Problem Is in Various States of Repair

One of my fave quotes from this:

"Even at this late date, many states have put up no extra money for the repair effort, requiring agencies to deal with the problem as they do their regular work. 'Y2K may be a priority, but it's not a funding priority,' said Evonne Rogers, year 2000 project manager for the state of Wyoming."

BZZZZTTT! Sorry, no, but thanks for playing. If it's not a funding priority, it's not a priority. Exec sponsor won't fund it, exec sponsor won't get it. Simple. I read something along these lines a few months ago, where Utah DoE (I think) was presented with a Y2K budget request of about $40M and allocated less than $4M. Guess what they'll get? Maybe a few new batteries for the PeeCees and not a whole lot else.

We now hear so often: "Y2K is not a technical problem; it is a business and management problem." Got that right.

"Fix Y2K as part of your regular work and with no additional funding." Idiots...

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.com), February 02, 1999

Answers

Isn't it remarkable that, despite the lack of additional funding, the states are doing so well (or so they say)? I really wonder how many "Mission Critical Systems" have ceased to be listed as critical.

-- d (d@dgi.com), February 02, 1999.

Isn't there some kind of pipeline in Alaska? Wonder if they will get the money to keep it running.

-- (z@z.z), February 02, 1999.

Link for NASIRE - source of the LA Times article's data about the states:

NASIRE (National Association of Information Resource Executives) - Y2k issues (informal survey results with regular updates)

Of California, the LA Times article's author has two cheerful paragraphs:

"California is among the more advanced states, having finished about two-thirds of its critical systems, according to the state Department of Information Technology.

"At 50% finished, you've done maybe 80% of the work," said Steve E. Kolodney, director of Information Services for Washington state and the chairman of NASIRE's year 2000 committee.

"They're on the glide path that they set out for themselves. They're pretty much on track."

But in the State of California's Year 2000 Quarterly Report, Oct. 1998 (Executive Summary):

"Progress continues to be made. Fifty-one percent of the states mission critical information technology (IT) systems have either been remediated or require no remediation effort, according to the state agencies responsible for these systems. State entities have completed 50 percent of the mission critical projects that address remediation of these systems.

"Despite the best efforts of the states IT organizations, some mission critical systems will not be remediated by the December 1998 deadline set forth in the Governors Executive Order W-163-97. Current information indicates that none of these systems is in danger of failing prior to its revised completion date. In fact, most of the states mission critical systems, if not remediated, will not fail until 2000 or later."

CA State Gov 2000 Quarterly Report

Read the last paragraph. Am I experiencing more than the usual amount of brain fog?

-- Debbie Spence (dbspence@usa.net), February 03, 1999.