Why don't you write a letter

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

Since there is a possibility of getting an interesting responce from someone may I suggest writing a letter to the entity you are conserned about. The letter below was found on pulp mill site for their recommeded form letter and I thought it would be neat if folks wrote and find out what the hell is really going on. You maybe suprised. Pulp industry in Canada is huge. If it works for them why not the regular folk. Just love the part about a response in 10 days. This letter is nice, short, and to the point.

Date

Family Name Address

Year 2000 Compliance __________________________________________

Dear _________:

"Your Family Name" is concerned about the 'Year 2000' computer hardware and software issues.

Please provide us with information about the readiness of your service in regards to Year 2000 processing.We would like to understand if your service(s) can:

Process dates correctly before and after the Year 2000

Correctly handle the leap year during the Year 2000

Some of our other concerns are:

Have you done any equipment testing, and if so, what were the results?

If you have not done any testing, do you intend to do so? And, during what timeframe?

Can you provide details on the type of testing you have done or are planning to do?

Please provide this information within 10 days. We look forward to receiving your response.

Sincerely,

-- Brian (imager@somewherelikehome.com), May 07, 1999

Answers

Nice idea, but here are some other considerations:

1. Some of the people that are supposed to be doing the remediations at some of these companies are snowed under with 200-300 of this type requests per month. Should they answer them individually, or keep on working?

2. If the company has a lawyer, will he permit the truth to be written down and sent out to someone they don't know? (It doesn't matter whether the truth is "We will collapse in 2000" or "We and our suppliers have been 100% tested and compliant since 1995.")

Try this instead:

1. Get off the record comments in person. At least you'll get what one person thinks is true.

2. Ask them how they think their customers (individuals and companies) should prepare for Y2K. That will let you know what they truly think officially.

-- walt (walt@lcw.k12.ne.us), May 07, 1999.


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