Hi, guys,

Been lurking here for a month or so - posted once or twice when I couldn't resist. But I wanted to lay a message from the real world on you.

I work for a major contractor for a major government agency. We've been on top of the Y2K thing for a long time (started talking about it at least a decade ago -- started working on it in earnest at least 3 years ago). I find it hard to believe that we're unique, although I think we're among the best. In short -- people have been doing stuff for a lot longer than you realize (or are willing to admit). I would put my colleagues up against anyone in the world for computer expertise in general, and understanding of the Y2K thing in particular, and guess what -- ain't no doomers here.

My two cents:

I agree completely with the guy who keeps posting summaries of your incredibly hateful remarks. He's right. There's a lot of hatred out here Your response to him is typically something like "delete this asshole." Can't argue with that logic.

But less extreme:

1. Trying to sound unfanatic, you love to say: "even if we're wrong, it makes sense to prepare for the worst." Yet every time you hear about a government agency's preparations, you say "aha, what do they know they're not telling us?" You made a big thing about NASA not wanting to have the shuttle in orbit. Major "DUH" here.

2. You go crazy about "Homer Beanfang" and his postings, saying "you're great, how do you find this stuff?" etc. Yet the significance of HB is that he obviously spends all his time looking for Y2K problems, and comes up with nothing but the most trivial stuff. Without fail, it's something that's human error, gets fixed in a few hours, or both; and it's also something that would be no big deal even if it didn't get fixed. Homer's stuff actually gives ammunition to the "polly's." If that's all he can up with, then we don't have much to worry about.

3. Here's my favorite: recently Stephen Hawking was quoted saying polly-type stuff. Your response was: "what does a theoretical physicist know about computer problems?" Yet your favorite gurus are a banker and religious nut (the latter of which has a track record of absurd predictions).

been fun laughin' ya.

lookin forward to your spin in the next few months.

-- spaceguy (lurking@ndlaugh.ing), December 29, 1999

Answers

Another NASA idiot, probably part of the Mars team. Work on your metrics.

-- sick of (polyanal@trolls.blech), December 29, 1999.

I work for a major contractor for a major government agency

I know the type. Been there, done that. Thanks for your input. Now go get a real job.

-- bob (bobwalters@cwo.com), December 29, 1999.

Which Contractor & Which Government Agency?

-- snooze button (alarmclock_2000@yahoo.com), December 29, 1999.

Well, those were really intelligent answers. Guess I underrated y'all.

-- spaceguy (lurking@ndlaugh.ing), December 29, 1999.

"Trying to sound unfanatic, you love to say: "even if we're wrong, it makes sense to prepare for the worst." Yet every time you hear about a government agency's preparations, you say "aha, what do they know they're not telling us?""

Thanks for bringing that up. Let's look at what's really going on: They're busy preparing for several weeks/months of serious problems. At the same time, they're telling US to prep for only 3 days. That's been the MO for months now.

If, as you say, there's a lot of hatred on this board -- & I agree that there is -- I'd have to say it's justified, because THEY are lying to us, have lied to us from the beginning, & will LIE LIE LIE like you've never seen in your whole life, in the next several days.

We're angry because, thanks to the Internet which THEY would dearly love to shut down, we KNOW they're lying to us.

You're not an asshole. You're just not seeing clearly.

-- not that it matters at (this@late.date), December 29, 1999.

not that ... :

What's so sinister about it? The .govs never said "don't prepare." They simply say they don't think you have to. That's what I think too, yet I've prepared for a few weeks. I'm no fan of our politicians, but there just ain't nothing mysterious here. CYA, that's all there is to it.

Thanks for calling me a non ah -- puts you a cut above most people on this board.

seeya

-- spaceguy (laughing@ndlurk.ing), December 29, 1999.

spaceguy, you might want to do a little more research before you get on your high horse.

From someone who worked on the first stage of the Saturn V in Slidell.

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), December 29, 1999.

spaceguy

First of all you state that your organization started talking about Y2K about ten years ago, and started working on it about three years ago. Why (and I am asking nicely) didn't y'all start on the problem when it was first discussed?

You also state that "I find it hard to believe that we're unique" This would indicate to some that you are not actually aware of the status of other government and private corporation project's concerning Y2K.

Also, why would any organization (government or private) have been working on this problem for longer than they would admit, and yet not bring this point to the publics attention. Wouldn't that help people feel a little more secure about the rollover? I know it would in my case. I'm not trying to imply that your not being truthful about what your saying. It's just that it would be a relief to many if we could get some straight forward answer's from someone who is involved in high level remediation. Many on this forum have asked for people to come forward who are (in the know) so to speak, and give us some good news. I have yet to see that occur. Thanks for your time in this matter.

-- ~***~ (~***~@earth.ebe), December 29, 1999.

Yup, spacey dude, you are so right. How could we all have been so blind? Thanks, spacey dude. You may go now.

-- (TrollPatrol@sheesh.now), December 29, 1999.

So, you've been lurking for one month and posted twice. I've been on TB2000 for 2 years and have read and participated in thousands of posts. I have witnessed foul mouthed, rude, arrogant, people on this forum from the day I signed on. I don't believe you are qualified to even give an opinion regarding the hatred that sometimes crop up on this forum. The guy your are talking about (Y2K Pro) who keeps posting the hateful remarks, has on many occasions caused disruptions on this forum. You are totally ignorant about him and what he has done to this forum along with others just like him. We have tolerated these foul mouthed trolls way beyond what we should have. Your a johnny-come-lately, too bad you didn't find TB2000 sooner, you would have been pissed at his and other's behavior too.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), December 29, 1999.