So I'm installing some new Version Control Software (this prevents programmers from stomping over each other's code revisions; works like a librarian) and my support tech is Russian. From the Ukraine. Very typical one, too: brusque, sharp, blunt, honest.

I ask her about her take on the Russian Y2K situation, I can actually feel her go pale out in LA - she says "don't go there, it's hopeless".

I asked her if she could talk her family into a visit: no, she can't, they don't get it.

Ouch.

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), September 10, 1999

Answers

Dosvadanya Ivan!

-- Billy-Boy (Rakkasn@Yahoo.com), September 10, 1999.

Read a bit of Russian history... The place has always been a mess. To give you an idea, things actually improved somewhat for the average guy under Stalin. I'm sure a lot of folks miss him terribly.

I had a Czech friend who did business with the Russians. When I asked him about it he would just shake his head & say "katastrof."

-- too bad (about@the.ruskies), September 10, 1999.

I Took a speed reading course and read 'War and Peace' in twenty minutes. It involves Russia. -- Woody Allen

One minute Russia loves us and we give them wheat and money...then later they don't love us and give us a hard time. BTW did they ever pay back the "lend-lease" from WW2?

If our SS system has been working on Y2k for 10 years is Russia going to make it in 111 days?

-- x (nyet@chernoble.com), September 11, 1999.