While he's not saying that disruptions will be severe, a New Zealand Y2K adviser says New Zealanders should be prepared to deal with possible disruption until March 31st:

http://cnnfntech.newsreal.com/story/19990824/03/09/5520335_st.html

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), August 28, 1999

Answers

[Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only]

Adviser warns of months of Y2K bug disruption

Daily News

THE Y2K computer bug could result in disruption for three months beyond the first day of the new millennium, says Y2K Readiness Commission special adviser John Good.

Mr Good, of Wellington, who was in New Plymouth yesterday to attend a regional forum on the issue, said New Zealanders should be prepared to deal with possible disruption until March 31.

The Y2K bug results from computers reading the year 2000 as 00, which could cause them to stop operating or make mistakes. Some computers dating systems will revert to the year 1900.

Mr Good said problems could arise later, because some systems might not be operating during the holiday period.

"Part of the Y2K problem is the fact that the year 2000 is a leap year and 1900 was not a leap year, so if computers think they are in the year 1900 they will have a bit of difficulty with dealing with the extra day in February."

There was also the possibility of cascading effects, where some businesses that were Y2K compliant might not be able to operate because their suppliers were having difficulties.

Mr Good rejected the suggestion from some cynical observers that the Y2K bug was not a big issue.

"You have to look at the work being done to diagnose and find Y2K problems and put them right so that some of those sceptics are not going to be inconvenienced.

"In some ways it is understandable because we have put so much confidence in computers that the notion that they are not going to work is seen as preposterous.

"But you only have to look at Telecom, which is spending $107 million. (Outgoing chief executive) Rod Deane is not known to panic and throw money at problems unnecessarily."

Mr Good said all sectors, from banking to local government, were making good progress in dealing with Y2K issues.

Globally, fixing the Y2K bug had been estimated to cost $US100 billion.

Mr Good said the commission's surveys had shown that 95% of New Zealanders were aware of the Y2K bug, which was higher than Britain or the United States, which had been openly discussing potential problems a lot longer.

The surveys had also found that 59% of New Zealand households had or were planning to make preparations to deal with the Y2K bug, with another 14% saying they would make preparations when they had more information. Some 27% had said they would not plan to deal with any disruption.

Mr Good said keeping the public well-informed was vital. During the Melbourne gas crisis, for example, rumours started that there was no bread and people began panic buying of food, causing an artificial food crisis.

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(Copyright 1999)

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Publication Date: August 21, 1999

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-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), August 28, 1999.

For a more complete look at how prepared New Zealand is, have a look at: http://www.y2k.govt.nz/

Malcolm

-- Malcolm Taylor (taylorm@es.co.nz), August 28, 1999.