HOw do you test pirated software? Do it on the weekend.

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/ap/technology/story.html?s=v/ap/19990610/tc/china_banks_y2k_1.html

Chinese banks and insurers are to suspend all computer network operations in a series of tests to ensure they are ready for possible Year 2000 computer glitches, a state-run newspaper reported Thursday.

The People's Bank of China and the China Insurance Regulatory Commission will conduct three nationwide tests on June 19-20, July 17-18 and Sept. 18-19, the China Daily reported.

The tests will suspend computer networks at all banks, cooperatives, postal savings and domestic insurance companies.

Experts fear that the problem, known as Y2K, will cause computers which use only the last two digits to mark the year 2000 and possibly mistake it for 1900.

China's banking sector is bracing for possible miscalculated interest on deposits and canceled savings records, the paper quoted a People's Bank of China official as saying. It did not identify the official.

Earlier this year, the government's top Y2K troubleshooter said a lack of money and experience was hampering China's readiness, confirming foreign analysts' warnings.

``No need to worry about your money. We have more than one copy of the savings deposits to safeguard customers' money,'' an official with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, who was not identified, told the paper.

The insurance sector could also suffer huge claims for Y2K-related losses.

The tests, all during weekends, are not expected to cause much inconvenience to customers, the report said.

-- y2k dave (xsdaa111@hotmail.com), June 11, 1999

Answers

And I'll bet it is a total success.

-- FLAME AWAY (BLehman202@aol.com), June 11, 1999.

Hi Dave, how did the meeting in CR go?

-- (y2kfallback@yahoo.com), June 11, 1999.

CR is zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Very frustrating. It's like someone said about "Chicken Little or Paul Revere". This council has way to many problems on its hands. They stated we still have 200 days until I remark only about 100 working days to wit they said " we work weekends sometimes". Prepare for a winter storm and look up the Red Cross on preparedness. More to come this summer. Neighborhood meetings (maybe, maybe not, but we want our citizens prepared). Anybody else form CR out there???

-- y2k dave (xsdaa111@hotmail.com), June 11, 1999.

Well, if you want to come, the next IC meeting is June 24th at 7:00. I think it is at the public library. IC being smaller and deserted by students in January, with at least the appearance of reasonable citywide contingency planning, could be a safer bet than larger, more industrial CR. Rent a house or something? The one across the street from us is for sale. We are quiet neighbors with only occasional artillery drills and the fallout shelter is not the eyesore those other nasty neighbors say it is. We think its quite beautiful :) Good for you for speaking up at least on the working days left issue. Take Care

-- (y2kfallback@yahoo.com), June 11, 1999.