Y2K Glitches Surface in Many People's Attitudes-Westergaardgreenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread |
http://www.wbn.com/y2ktimebomb/Special/Opinion/Readers/jy0001.htmY2K Glitches Surface in Many People's Attitudes
By John Yellig
January 3, 2000
As I sit here on the first Sunday of the New Year I am thankful that so far there have been no significant Y2K Problems to report. My lights are on, my telephone works, and I haven't been hit in the head by a nose-diving airliner. Truly it has been a remarkably smooth transition weekend.
Unfortunately the ease with which - so far - the world's computer systems have rolled over into 2000 has not reflected the compliance status of many people's attitudes. Yesterday morning I when I checked my email, I was greeted with two types of New Year's salutations.
A typical greeting from the "I told you so" camp bluntly stated, "Chicken Little: I told you so you simpering cowards! Ha Ha!!!" This individual's grasp of the Y2K Problem is truly remarkable.
Somehow I missed the fact that Y2K was not a technology problem, but a no-holds-barred battle of egos between the "Pollyannas" and the "Chicken Littles." Y2K was not a problem with computers and embedded systems but a grand forum for any individual with a keyboard to strut around placing bets on whether or not the world would end come January first. To all of the readers out there, no matter which "team" they are on, Font color="blue">I would like to sincerely apologize for my misapprehension of the Year 2000.
The other type of greeting, from the "disappointed" camp, reminded me: "NOT SO FAST! Wait and watch. Next Friday we'll know how bruised we are. To call for a sigh of relief now is like pouring the champagne before the race starts. I believe there will be hundreds of thousands of glitches per hour come Monday. This will complicate and muck up the life-enabling efficiency we so often take for grantedThink about it. Note: Y2K MUST be disastrous. I have $30,000 of preps in our home!!!"
This camp, rather than being composed of pesky know-it-alls, is comprised of those who have a hyperactive "nesting mentality." These individuals would like nothing more than to see massive disruptions, and depending on the degree of their need for nesting, utter chaos in the outside world while they sit back in complete security amid industrial strength generators and enough MREs to last them into the next millennium. (At this point I want to clarify that I am not talking about everyone who made Y2K preparations. I am talking about the one or two percent who went a little too far.) These "nesters" have so far had reason to be disappointed, while in reality they should be thankful. To be disappointed in the fact that the world is not going to hell in a handbasket reflects - in my opinion - a deep-seated psychological problem. No matter what their reasons for wanting Armageddon - fear of globalization, hatred of fractional reserve banking, or just a general misanthropic tendency - these people should seek some sort of psychiatric assistance.
Now that my personal beefs with the more enlightened members of the Y2K community have been settled, I would like to take a moment to point out to the Pollyannas that it is only January 3rd. We have only had three days go by with no major problems. There are still the coming weeks and months to make it through before we can proclaim "All clear!" I would also like to remind the Chicken Littles that it is already January 3rd. We have had three days go by without any of the major disruptions that were expected.
With that said, I think I'm going to go relax on my "holier than thou" throne and wait for the soon-to-be-rampant name-calling, finger pointing, and character assassinating.
-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), January 03, 2000
Unfortunately, too many people on both sides of this issue have a need to "save face". Lets all be grateful that things went well and hopefully will continue to go well. Some people need to get on with their lives.
-- Z (Z@Z.com), January 03, 2000.
I, for one, am greatly relieved, though cautious. I think that we will find a more true picture of Y2K glitches -- that aren't important enough to make the mainstream press take note -- right here on this Board. Maybe some of them will be funny. Maybe some won't. Hopefully, none will be life-threatening. Those nameless, faceless programmers are the real heroes here, and we should give credit where credit is due. I know a fellow who works in the State Department and they are still working night and day, programming. He practically lives there! So the problem is still in the process of being solved.Those of you who did make preparations, don't feel bad. You did the right thing with the knowledge you had at the time. And having stored food can always come in handy in the event of personal disaster (i.e. unemployment), so at least wondering where your next meal is coming from won't be an issue, then! :)
-- Marie (pray4peace@compuserve.com), January 03, 2000.
Cherri, I couldn't have said it better myself. I was one of those "middle-of-the-roaders" - I prepared but only with canned foods that I regularly eat, and only about 2 months worth. I wanted to be ready in case something DID happen, and in case NOTHING happened. However, in reading these posts I see a lot of insults thrown back & forth and I don't understand why...until Cherri pointed out the "ego" theory.Additionally, more thanks than we can imagine are due to those programmers who rarely saw their families while working endlessly on our behalf.
We're all in this world together, we should be greatful all systems did not fall apart. As Rodney King said so eloquently before his next arrest..."Can't we all just get along?"
-- Hope Full (notareal@address.com), January 03, 2000.