Though this doesn't talk about electric, it does pertain to many of FactFinder's answers to electrical problems. It is from Gary North's site. I hope it comes through all right.

Gary North's Y2K Links and Forums

Summary and Comments (feel free to mail this page)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Category: Government Date: 1999-12-09 06:56:42 Subject: Y2K Test Crashes City Computer. Man in Charge Says It's not a Y2K Problem. It's a Data Problem. Link: http://www.omaha.com/Omaha/OWH/StoryViewer/1,3153,26259... Comment: The head computer geek ran a y2k test in Omaha, Nebraska. The system crashed. He told the press that this was not a y2k-conversion problem. It was a data-transfer problem.

I guess this makes the computer compliant -- just not the data.

This is from the OMAHA WORLD-HERALD (Dec. 8).

* * * * * * * * * *

The accounting system used by Douglas County and the City of Omaha was expected to be up and working today after crashing Sunday when new Y2K-compliant applications were switched from the testing to the production mode.

Mike Carpenter, director of information services, said the problem was not related to the Y2K conversion, but to the transfer of programs and data. Carpenter had expected the computer system to be working by late Tuesday afternoon, but it wasn't.

County Clerk Tom Cavanaugh and County Treasurer Julie Haney, both primary users of the system for the county, described the problem as a crisis. They said information services did not notify their offices of the problem. . . .

"We're 24 days from the new year," Cavanaugh said. "This is not a good sign. There is a deep concern a crisis does exist."

Haney's office uses the system to disburse the taxes that have been collected for the more than 150 political subdivisions in the county.

"This is a huge deal," Haney said. "Mr. Carpenter made this sound like a minor glitch. This is no minor glitch."

The city's finance department and the county's purchasing department also have had problems with the system. . . .

Cavanaugh is prepared, if necessary, to arrange for the manual entry of all checks for the county payroll and to pay vendors. The first week of the new year is a pay period for the county. . . .

Cavanaugh said his contingency plan to make sure the county's bills are paid includes canceling staff vacations, requiring overtime and hiring at least six temporary employees to assist the 25 full-time staff in his office. . . .

The 11-year-old accounting system was the last computer system to be upgraded for the year 2000. Earlier this year, a consultant described the system as inflexible and not user-friendly. He recommended replacing the system. . . .

Link: http://www.omaha.com/Omaha/OWH/StoryViewer/1,3153,26259...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Return to Category: Government Return to Main Categories

Return to Latest Links

Return to Home Page

-- Anonymous, December 09, 1999

Answers

Ah, these minor glitches, I can hear it now: these local outages (states,) these regional outages (lots of states,) these local country outages (single countrys,) these regional country outages (lots of countries.) Except I won't be able to hear it unless I have a battery powered shortwave radio. I love your style, xBob

-- Anonymous, December 10, 1999