My prediction:

This day, 9-9-99, will be a non-event -- just like all the other "auspicious days" turned out to be non events. Remember the predictions about the GPS rollover, the fiscal year "rollovers" such as 4-1-99, ect? The world continues to go on as we know it.

I think what we are seeing here is a bunch of doomer folks SCARED at all the GOOD news! That's why there are so many threads here of the type "hey, the lights flickered/power went off...it's Y2K NOW!!".

Dont you ADULTS here know that every day for as long as companies have been computerized that glitches, abends and crashes happen? And that people fix the problem and then everythings back to normal?

Why so few follow up post about the electric coming BACK ON? Would that threaten your doomer "hopes" too much? Probably. Why so few follow up post telling "the rest of the story" that some computer that crashed somewhere was brought back up after a short time -- and DID NOT result in the company going broke or having to lay off all it's workers? The world continuing bother's you, doesn't it, doomer?

The truth hurts, doesn't it doomers? CAn't wait to laugh at all you delusional doomer dummies next year -- and laugh at what pathetic garbage you will cling to to "explain" why you WERE right and that the world continuing to operate is an ILLUSION the gubmint's behind.

BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!

I think what we're seeing here is the "drowning man" grasping desparately for anything before going under; i.e. the doomers grasping for anything that supports their world view that the end is near. The lack of REAL -- not spin doctored or over blown problems is worrisome to the doomer crowd -- that's why they're qualifying their statements about 9-9-1999, and about "all the problems WON'T hit on 1-1-00", ect. They want to give themselves as much wiggle room as possible inorder to avoid the embarassment of being wrong.

Hey, we're all wrong at times -- but of course being wrong is pretty hard when you're a know it all who just KNOWS they are right -- then have reality prove you wrong -- ouch!! Need a bandaid for your ego?

I'm wondering, after Y2K turns out not to cause TEOTWAWKI, what will you "end of the world" types flock to next? I remember the nuclear war scare from TWENTY YEARS AGO!!!! People hiding in caves, "going back to the land", ect. Remember all the forcast of doom and gloom THROUGHOUT the seventies, eithties and nineties? All the books forcasting DOOOOMMMMMM!!!!! -- no cigar, doomer! BWAAAHAHAHAHA!!!

Why don't you doomers do yourselves a favor and get some professional psychological help -- and maybe some medication -- to help you get over your tendency to flock to whatever supports a vision of doom and gloom? Ask yourslves -- haven't you been drawn to other "doomer" topics in the past before Y2K ever came along?

That fizzled out too, didn't it? What's next? With Y2K only 16 weeks away, you doomers had better get busy searching for your next "issue" that's SURE to end life as we know it. After all, you will be able to hold off admitting you were wrong for a while next year -- maybe even till Jan 31st of 2001 since some of you will undoubtedly be claiming next summer "just you wait -- those Y2K bugs will BLOW UP THE WORLD when they run their year end processing -- just wait!"...alas, doomers...next year will come and go too...with the world continuing...along with it's problems, yes...but it will continue...

So if you insist on clinging to your doom and gloom scenarios, you had better start looking for a new "problem", because Y2K is looking more and more with each passing day not to be the TIMEBOMB 2000 that BLOWS UP THE WORLD AND ENDS CIVILIZATION!!!. Coming soon!!! Get ready!!!

May I suggest "the space people"...a coming "alien invasion"...

BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! FOOLS!!!!!! BWAAAAHAHAHAAHHA!!!!!

Hey doomer, it HURTS when I hit the nail on the head, doesn't it?

-- Cracker (Polly@allsok.Y2K), September 09, 1999

Answers

So, what about the infinity of bad possibilities that are considerably less than the end of civilization?

-- Lane Core Jr. (elcore@sgi.net), September 09, 1999.

This is the best the pollys can come up with?
No way do I buy today as being critical in either direction. The "doomers", and no I do not mean the crowd buying homes inside a mountain 1 mile deep, realistically identified today as a day where the possibility of problems COULD occur. Please note, if ANYTHING DID OCCUR, it would not be advertised publically or put in the media unless it was extremely dramatic. So get a grip, buy some beans and watch for the postings from the I.T. insiders. That is where the true stories will come out.

-- John Galt (jgaltfla@hotmail.com), September 09, 1999.

Cracker,

You obviously don't read this forum that much, or you would have noticed recent threads such as these:

"How bad will we get hit with "Well, 9/9 was no problem, so Y2K is no problem"???"

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001NKU

...and...

"September 9, 1999 and the groups that will be monitoring it"

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001Mjr

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), September 09, 1999.

What a pathetic idiot you are. There hasn't been any real concern about 9/9/99 among those who are preparing for Y2K for months. This is a classic straw man attack in which you set up a false proposition so you can knock it down. No one will miss you in another six months.

-- cody varian (cody@y2ksurvive.com), September 09, 1999.

Cracker,

I've been reading this forum since 1997. I bet most of doomers here can't say that! I have been watching all of these supposed critical dates come and go. Now we can add 9-9-99 to the list of non- events.

I've noticed this too about the doomers. As soon as the critical date draws near, they all say nothing will happen, just to cover their asses. It's the same old same old every day on here. Nothing new. Glad I got a life and can now get a good laugh by checking in here now and then. Y2K is going to be nothing.

-- (DoomersARE@whiners.com), September 09, 1999.

Dork

-- CygnusXI (noburnt@toast.net), September 09, 1999.

Also see this thread:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001L2W

"Here's What Will Happen On 9/9/99"

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), September 09, 1999.

This doomer doesn't expect New Year's Evil to be an immediate "Lights Out" in the USA either (although even the updated August Navy report seems to think I better stock-up on firewood).

However, if a lot of nations "over there" fail, there could be huge financial and supply problems eventually dwarfing "The Great Depression". To use a general term, "Weapons of Mass Destruction" could easily result from substantial global dismay.

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@Anonymous99.xxx), September 09, 1999.

Linkmeister,

Who gives a crap about those other threads? The same garbage gets posted over and OVER and OVER again in all of these forums! Get a life. Are you Gayla Dumbat or Diane Squawker?

-- (doomerARE@whiners.com), September 09, 1999.

A recent essay by Lane Core Jr...

http://www.wbn.com/y2ktimebomb/Computech/Issues/lcore9936.htm

"Those Dratted Nines - Yet Another Look at Data Processing for September 9, 1999"

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), September 09, 1999.

Cracker (Polly@allsok.Y2K) a.k.a. Killer (DominantSniper@Yahoo.com),

Don't you EVER get tired of trolling here? As a self-proclaimed banking programmer, you should be ashamed of your actions!

Sheesh!

Diane

See also...

It's Not Y2K, But 9/9/99 May Hit PCs
Benny Evangelista, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 8, 1999
)1999 San Francisco Chronicle

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/ article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/09/08/BU25634.DTL

[snip]

Robert Martin, coordinator of Y2K consulting work for Mitre Corp. of Bedford, Mass., said there were legitimate worries about 9999 at the start of the year. Mitre, which does Y2K consulting for government organizations and private companies, last year even issued a list of upcoming critical Y2K dates to watch, including tomorrow.

But the work done this year to stamp out potential Y2K problems has also helped eradicate most if not all 9999 problems, Martin said.

``It's not hype, because there have been a lot of systems where we found this problem, such as military and government systems,'' Martin said. ``Most organizations have been treating this very seriously and it will be a nonevent because they have.''

[snip--to end]

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 09, 1999.

It's worth noting that much of the concern about the "9999" problem was by official agencies themselves:

http://www.lawnewsnetwork.com/stories/A5098-1999Sep2.html

[snip]

Y2K planners in business and government will have a chance to rehearse their end-of-millennium routines when the date 9-9-99 arrives next week.

Government agencies, banks, electric utilities and other companies around the United States will be watching closely for Y2K-like computer trouble next Thursday. Other countries will have teams in place as well.

The fear is that some computers may translate Sept. 9, 1999, as a "9999" stop-program command. although few Y2K advisers expect major problems such as widespread electrical outages, no one is ruling out the possibility of smaller disruptions.

"Nobody can definitely guarantee you that there will be no glitches,'' said John Koskinen, President Clinton's Y2K czar.

"We're going to monitor it."

[snip]

Just in case problems do occur, the Coast Guard will add supervisors to keep navigation reliable, and the Transportation Department is assembling a team normally mobilized only during natural disasters.

[snip]

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), September 09, 1999.

Troll alert. I and many others have said 1999-09-09 is/was almost certain to be a non-event.

OTH, 2000-01-01 and on into Y2K could be MAJOR.

Don't pay attention to the pollies "9/9/99 no big deal so Y2K won't be."

-- vbProg (vbProg@MicrosoftAndIntelSuck.com), September 09, 1999.

Diane,

Am I a troll just because my post is not "pro doomer"?

When I first heard about Y2K...and read Mr. Yourdons book...I was VERY worried about Y2K. The thinking was -- yes, IF that happened THEN that domino would fall and THEN the next one and THEN the next one...and the fallout WOULD be severe,ect. I don't see IF happening.

Over the last year, after doing a lot of personal research and thinking about the issue, I've concluded that TEOTWAWKI is unlikely -- at least from Y2K. As I've said in the past, I expect Y2K to be neither a non-event or TEOTWAWKI globaly. I think there will be problems. And I think people's reactions will make things worse for ALL of us -- about three times worse.

You are correct. I'm a programmer analyst working in the banking industry. My personal opinion is just that -- I'm not a "company man" or an "operative" -- or I wouldn't be using my computer at work now, would I? My opinion is that the banking system will be just fine. If I thought otherwise, I would not post as I have of late. I would not even be reading. I would be learning some primitive living skill.

From what I've learned as a "insider" and an I.T. pro who's VERY good, I don't think ANY industry in the U.S. will colapse. Temporary disruptions...temporary shortages...yes. Colapse in the U.S....no.

You know every issue has people at all points of the spectrum. I simply happen to differ from the "mode" here. So what? Is that a "thought crime" of the "new republic" here and it's "TB2000 gubmint"? If so you have met the enemy and it is you.

Also, the downward trend in the quality of content here has been a personal bummer to me. I used to really LIKE this forumn. I still find interesting stuff here. The thread on the NSAKEY in Microsoft operating system software is a good example. What ticks me off -- and prompts me to respond "provocatively", are all the post I refer to in this thread's originating post. I'm not at all "ashamed" of myself. The poor thinking prompting folks to WANT to see every normal glitch like the power going out some place as a Y2K problem is quite sad. As for Y2K, it's like the boy who cries wolf. It's the EXTREMIST anti-society garbage that irks me. I DO have a right to my opinion, don't I? My post was on topic. It relates to not only 9-9-99, but the sociological/psychological aspects too -- I DO have a mind to think with and my prose is my analysis -- with my own "style" added.

I DON"T agree with the doomer crowd. So I'm not in "the fold" -- but I'm under the impression that I DO have a right to my opinion and that I AM allowed to post it here if I want -- and DON'T need to provide a reason why any more than anyone else does -- it's all FWIW -- let the reader decide for themselves. Lots of doomers make lots of fun of the "sheeple" like me who LIKE society -- I don't see you "scolding" them for that much. Why not just read...or not...like...or not...and "surf on"? I can only presume it's because I attack the doomer mentality instead of the other way around. Sad. 'Nuff said?

This morning, I saw a thread where some guy -- scared by the doomer

-- Cracker (Polly@allsok.Y2K), September 09, 1999.

My banker (as I've mentioned in an earlier post from last week) is not nearly as confident as you seem to be, Cracker. He says there is no way to block bad incoming data from other bank's non-compliant systems without taking his bank out of the system, which if done by even a relatively small number of banks, will destroy the banking system. I'm pretty sure he's preparing for a nasty Y2K experience. What makes you so confident that the banking system will be able to function in 2000?

-- cody (cody@y2ksurvive.com), September 09, 1999.

Hey butt Cracker,

Haven't heard back from you on the other thread, wa's up, homey ?? Hey, is it OK if I hit your head with a nail ???? DUFUS. By, the way, if your such a professional in the banking industry, what in the hell are you doing wasting your precious time trolling this site for?? Are you bored or unemployed ?? If so, GET A LIFE !!

P.S. please send your mailing address and phone so I can send money to you for tp. Thanks again, buddy. Your pal, Mr. Whipple

-- Mr. Whipple (softwear@tp.com), September 09, 1999.