Paragraph from Mr. Ways essay--requires your appraisal!

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

Ok, here's the paragraph, what is he saying, in your humble opinion.

"Y2K problems or failures do not necessarily mean system failures. System failures do not mean business function failures. Business function failures do not necessarily mean business or economic failures." (i get it so far)

"There are many levels of containment that work to keep any problems from becoming things that actually impact people in a way that matters to them." (now this is of interest)

"And most of these containment layers and efforts are outside the domain of Y2K remediation efforts" --(ok is this a message?)

"As this non-technical realm is a battleground that will engage many employees in almost all organizations directly or indirectly, and most people as individuals and families, not just us techies, and because the battle is likely to take many years to be decided, it is the ultimate reality Of y2K."

You mean to tell me Mr. Way is saying that the ultimate reality of Y2K is the non-techies fighting a battle of containing layers of failures????? Is that what you read or just me.

-- David Butts (dciinc@aol.com), November 09, 1999

Answers

YES! He is saying that the non-techies will have to hold it together, and that it will take YEARS until it is decided that bureaucrats writing checks by hand is not such a good idea. He could also be looking at e-commerce with fouled up computers....

-- WF (ohmyhand@Ytwok.com), November 09, 1999.

David,

I believe that Mr. Way is referring to the problems all people will have trying to deal with the aftermath of computer failures. You or some member(or all) of your family may have to spend time trying to straighten out the various companies you do business with on what you own them or they owe you.

Most of the people who INPUT the information into the various computer systems are not TECHIES. They may be clerks, secretaries, salesmen, etc.. The people who actually use the data stored away in the world's computer systems are not the ones who program the computers. They are in Information Technology jargon "USERS". Most programmers never really use the programs they build. They just build them and then turn them over to the USERS. Unfortunately, it is those people who use the data who will first notice that something is amiss. Putting all the data back to a correct form will require the efforts of more than just the programmers.

Not a very good answer perhaps, but I believe that it covers why everyone will end up fighting with the aftermath of Y2K.

wally wallman

-- wally wallman (wally_yllaw@hotmail.com), November 09, 1999.


The ones who prosper after Y2K will be craftsmen (metal and wood), small farmers and ranchers (not mega-corp farms) and those who can add a column of figures (accurately) without a calculator?

-- A (A@AisA.com), November 09, 1999.

Don't forget to obtain some extra solar-powered calculators.

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), November 09, 1999.

Mr Way is answering questions on another Lusnet thread tonight

-- bob brock (bb@myhouse.com), November 09, 1999.


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