http://chicagotribune.com/version1/article/0,1575,ART-21043,00.html

here's an article which says exactly what I've been saying for weeks

the stock market surge and the economic indicators can thank y2k for

the excellent reports on the economy...when you spend almost a trillion bucks it does have an effect.

-- gotitlongago@garynorth. (vacajohn@(nospam)jccomp.com), March 15, 1999

Answers

This is vastly oversimplified (and simple minded). First, a lot of companies have diverted cash from other projects to Y2K. Therefore, its not "extra" money at all - just taken from one pocket and put in another. Second, the idea that you take your "inept" programmers and put them on Y2K problems is scary. While Y2k is easy to describe, finding, fixing, coordinating data testing, setting up Time machine environs, building simulated databases with adequately represented data, yadda, yadda ... is not for the faint hearted (or mildly retarded) programmer! Some economic benefit IS probably happening from industrial stockpiling, but that suggests a downturn on the supply side if all is well post-Rollover. Remember, these "cost" figures are mostly programmer salaries - most of which would have been on the payroll anyway! A better reason for our economic boom is all the foreign money flying to the US for perceived safety.

-- RD. ->H (drherr@erols.com), March 15, 1999.

"For some companies, Y2K offers a cold blooded way to rejuice the workforce. They've assigned older or inept workers to the Y2K team. When the bug's blown away, the jobs will disappear, too. "The Y2K problem helps us find people who are very good, and find a way to keep them. And it gives us a way to weed people out who aren't very good," admits the Y2K director at one major Chicago company."

Oh my gosh. This is such wonderful news.

{insert dead silence here}

-- -- (_@_._), March 15, 1999.

Were these two stories published side-by-side as part of a pro and con thing?? Otherwise, they both have some interesting thoughts expressed. I'm surprised an editor let them see the light of day....

Millennium Bug gives booster shot to economy

Will Y2K be A-OK? It may take an act of faith

see thread
Here's why the panic will start soon: articles like this one in the Chicago Tribune

-- -- (_@_._), March 15, 1999.