http://www.computerworld.com/home/news.nsf/all/9903302wash

(Online News, 03/30/99 05:57 PM)

Important U.S. computer systems likely to miss Y2K deadline By Tom Diederich

Sens. Robert Bennett (R-Utah) and Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) today warned that several of the federal government's most vital operation systems -- including those at the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense -- will miss tomorrow's deadline for governmentwide compliance for the year 2000 computer problem.

"We expect 90% of the federal government to meet the March 31 deadline," the senators said in a statement. "However, the remaining 10% are a concern because they include critical systems and services which play an important part in maintaining the health and well-being of our nation's citizens."

Bennett, who is chairman of the Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem, and Dodd, the committee's vice chairman, will address the issue at an upcoming hearing. A focal point of the hearing will be the extent of the government's end-to-end testing of interdependent systems.

"End-to-end testing is one of the most important steps in the verification process," the senators said. "Just because a system or unit is Y2K-compliant on its own does not guarantee it will be free of Y2K problems when run with other systems. It's like testing a parachute without pulling the ripcord."

Another hot topic of debate will be the status of contingency planning throughout the federal government. Agencies have until April 30 to submit their year 2000 contingency plans in the event of system failures.

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Well at least they are starting to tell some of the truth.. With even 10% down there will be big problems IMHO....

-- helium (heliumavid@yahoo.com), March 30, 1999

Answers

I would think more like 30% will not make it by roll over. I also beleive 30% is way over critical mass. It may all tumble. IMHO of course.

-- SCOTTY (BLehman202@aol.com), March 30, 1999.

Y2K Pro: "See I told you it was almost fixed"

Norm: "Wow - how'd I miss that one?"

Mutha: "Y2K? What Y2K?"

Maria and Deano: "Did I tell you drunk I got in Key West?"

-- a (a@a.a), March 30, 1999.

Helium:

Where does it say 'down'? It says 10% won't be ready tomorrow (March 31). It doesn't say they won't be ready in 9 months, and it doesn't say they're going down either.

And look at scotty! 10% not finished by March 31 suddenly becomes 30% not finished by Jan 1.

Not that I think the government is even close to 90% complete with mission critical systems despite the rapid rate at which they'be been discovering that these systems weren't so critical after all. But this is what the story says. Concluding that it's way off without any supporting data (like scotty) or misinterpreting unfinished as 'down' can't be supported here.

Are you predicting big problems the day after tomorrow?

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), March 30, 1999.

Day after tomorrow is April 1, 1999 and as I remember many people are suggesting that there will be trouble caused by "the day after tomorrow"

Gas is now at the highest ever in california history KSFO 6pm news.... Maybe the problems have already started?????

-- helium (heliumavid@yahoo.com), March 30, 1999.

helium,

The gas situation in California is representative of what can happen when rationing to dealers occurs and when oil refinery production is reduced anywhere between 15% to 30%.

The CA market will equalize and prices reduce again ... this time around.

What happens, nationwide, if such a reduction in supply occurs due to import problems? And is of longer duration?

Think rising supply chain costs, etc.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), March 30, 1999.

How do we get ONLY 10% missing the deadline when out of 66,000 systems government-wide, 6,600 are critical-mission? What about the other systems and associated employees? They are rigging the game so even the biggest laggards are close to making it, but even in this scenario, some agencies STILL won't make it. I wish a reporter, talking head someone would point this out. No one has defined critical-mission, have they?

-- PJC (paulchri@msn.com), March 30, 1999.

mission-critical: Any system fixed by the dead-line. <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), March 30, 1999.

It is a joke, might as well start laughing.

-- Mitchell Barnes (spanda@inreach.com), March 31, 1999.