WiredNews reports today that talks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland confirmed Ed Yardeni's worst fears. Yardeni said that Sun Computer's boss got up and told forum participants to "buy your computers this year, because I don't know if we'll be able to make them next year." Yardeni commented that if Sun can't make computers, neither can Dell, Compaq, or IBM. Maybe someone with a computer out there (as opposed to my ASCII/Lynx browser) could do a hyperlink?

-- Spidey (in@jam.com), February 09, 1999

Answers

Sun Chief Spooks Y2K Guru

Would Sun do this to drum up business? I kind of doubt it myself. What do you think?

-- Reporter (foo@foo.bar), February 09, 1999.

Davos y2k

-- Runway Cat (runway_cat@hotmail.com), February 09, 1999.

Reporter, YES, McNealy certainly would do it to get attention and short-term business. Being in the news business you should know, all press is good press, as long as they spell the name right.

-- Runway Cat (runway_cat@hotmail.com), February 09, 1999.

Diane, Runaway and All,

I am not in the news business. I have assumed this handle because I have been frustrated by a lack of independent reporting. I decided to become my own reporter. I don't wish to mislead. I am a senior systems analyst with about 10 years of computer experience. I work at a large electric power organization. I have also been a radio DJ.

I have burned eproms and written more applications than I can remember. I feel very responsible to do all I can to help in whatever way I can. I scan articles and web sites for Y2K information to put on our Intranet which covers a few states. Internally to this organization I am "press" but to you, I am just an ordinary "Dilbert." I still plan on "reporting" what I find.

-- Reporter (foo@foo.bar), February 09, 1999.

Don't know about Sun but I work for a company that produces printed circuit assemblies for Dell computers among others and many of the component parts we use , especially the boards themselves , come from Asia. Given their apparent lack of y-2k preparation that doesn't bode well regarding transporation issues and manufacturing processes in general .

-- Alan Cline (atcline@earthlink.net), February 10, 1999.

I don't know about y2k in general, but I think Scott McNealy is a smooth-talking marketing slickster, who'll do anything to sell more boxes and sell 'em today.

The audio for his talk is about halfway down the page Conference Speakers

-RC

-- Runway Cat (Runway_Cat@hotmail.com), February 10, 1999.