This is an excellent piece that should be read by all from Science News Online. It starts out..."With less tahn a yearleft to avert failures computer experts and engineers are finding that year 2000 computer chip software may be much more serious than had been anticipated.

Kevin or somebody should hotlink this at http://www.sciencenews.org/sn_arc99/1_2_99/fob1.htm

This piece lists sources like U.S.House of Represenitives at the bottom.

Mike

-- flierdude (mkessler0101@sprynet.com), February 13, 1999

Answers

Science News Online (1/2/99): Year 2000 Chip Danger Looms

-- No Spam Please (anon@ymous.com), February 13, 1999.

Let's face it, every organization doing Y2K repair has gone about it the wrong way. They all rushed off to get their "critical" payroll and accounting systems fixed first and have left the embedded systems till the end. And now it's coming back to bite them. Exxon can't fix its systems and says so publicly. AT&T is in the same boat.

The power industry made damn sure its billing systems were fixed before they began looking at the generation and transmission systems. Now the embedded systems there have got them worried, really worried that they won't get their houses in order before the fateful day.

Most manufacturing companies are just realizing their embedded systems problems with less than one year to go. But they have their critical billing and payroll systems compliant. I guess that everyone involved thinks their wallets are critical, but they don't believe that being able to produce their product or service is important.

That's why the embedded systems problem is going to be THE linchpin of whether or not Y2K brings our society to its knees. Embedded devices are the most numerous possible failure points we face in Y2K, but they are also the least understood by most people. They don't realize just how widespread the use of embedded devices has become and how important those devices are to the systems we depend on.

People are going to get a very rude education on those "little black boxes" that are so common and overlooked in our modern world. I'll wager that this time next year nobody will be taking those devices for granted.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), February 13, 1999.

"AT&T is in the same boat."

Excuse me? AT&T? I follow Y2K to the point of insanity, but didn't see that. I have read bad things about the oil industry, but not phones.

Got links?

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@Anonymous.com), February 14, 1999.

Acording to Jackie Woods, Ameritech is not in trouble, but this was an overheard comment, so.....

Not on this one.

PS She is CEO for Ameritech.....until it becomes South Western Bell systems.

-- Z (z@z.z), February 14, 1999.

Anonymous:
 
Here's a bit of the info you requested. The link expired recently but perhaps a search by Infoseek on the site will turn it up in the archives. I can attest to the authenticity of the AT&T announcement. I have it in hard copy. Also .. it was recently read into the record at a Y2K meeting held by a group of state legislators where I live.
 
AT&T and Chevron announce they won't make it. (Reuters)
January 04, 1999
(Selected quotes.)
 
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The new millennium and its much-anticipated computer bug is still a year away but many U.S. companies are already throwing in the towel.
 
AT&T and Chevron admit they won't be ready.
 
Companies are beginning to make such frank statements on Y2K risks to cover themselves against possible securities litigation, analysts said. The statements also provide ammunition for their own suits.
 
Companies such as Chevron Corp. and AT&T Corp. say their systems may be vulnerable to significant failures as they grapple with the Year 2000 date change.
 
.. [Snip!] ..
 
Chevron has said it will not fix all its systems by Dec. 31, 1999, and Year 2000 business interruptions could prevent it from making and delivering refined products and producing oil and gas.
 
AT&T has acknowledged the potential for failure across its systems and has cranked up Year 2000 spending by more than 50 percent.
 
Related Link:
http://infoseek.go.com/Content?arn=a1831reuff-19981231&qt=y2k&sv=IS&lk =noframes&col=NX&kt=A&ak=news1486
 
Hope this helps.
 
Dan

-- Dan (DanTCC@Yahoo.com), February 14, 1999.

"AT&T and Chevron admit they won't be ready."

Oh SH*T! The worlds #1 or #2 carrier (AT&T) probably won't be ready?

Oh SH*T!

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@Anonymous.com), February 14, 1999.

Dan, nothing on there about AT&T. Can you provide a proper link ?

-- (me@here.com), February 15, 1999.