After all Hal the computer did go slowly mad. After all 2001 is the real y2k is it not. Wonder what Arthur C. Clarke would have said. Is he still around? Was 2001 released in 1969 or 1972?

-- HAL (HAL@2001-1972.com), January 04, 2000

Answers

Why do people make references to fiction and fable ?.

I mean, you refer to the HAL computer as if its a factual reference point. Same goes for people who do the "grasshopper and the ant" thing.

In the past year I have seen dozens of references to fictional characters or novels or movies as some kind of useful comparison for y2k. Whats that about ?

-- hamster (hamster@mycage.com), January 04, 2000.

HAL,

2001 was released, I believe, in 1968. It cost me $2.50 to see it as a first-run movie.

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), January 04, 2000.

well if we want to discuss bad analogies--HOW ABOUT THAT 3-DAY STORM THING? SINCE WHEN DID COMPUTERS AND WEATHER MIX?

-- tt (cuddluppy@nowhere.com), January 04, 2000.

or why not a THREE DAY BUMP IN THE ROAD!! OUCH. THAT HURTS.

-- tt (cuddluppy@nowhere.com), January 04, 2000.

HAL,

Here's a quick refresher course on what the Y2K problem is:

[19]97

[19]98

[19]99

[19]00

00 is less than--not greater than--99.

Don't expect an unusually large number of computer problems in January of 2001.

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), January 04, 2000.

Hamster, If you would think about the interplay between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader for a minute, I'm sure you'll see you couldn't be more mistaken.

Not trying to be,

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.com), January 04, 2000.

"I mean, you refer to the HAL computer as if its a factual reference point."--Hampster

Ah, it was.

H + 1 = I

A + 1 = B

L + 1 = M

Mr. Clarke is a well reputed prognosticator, and has often been asked in interviews what technique he employs to make his uncanny predictions, to which he responds that he observes current trends then reasons the results across time. In his mind it is simple mathmatics; just draw the curve of the current trend a specified number of years into the future.

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), January 04, 2000.

Translation: Arthur C. Clarke PREDICTED that IBM (the modern technology of his day) would become HAL by 2001!

I'm dead serious.

(Yes, I watch too much cable...)

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), January 04, 2000.

Hello Hampster--

If we were all totally grounded we never would have been able to extrapolate to TEOTWAWKI. We might even think the world would have to continue just as it always has been. Egad! we might be Polly's. chuckle.

-- Pam (jpjgood@penn.com), January 04, 2000.

Arthur C. Clarke wrote a short story, The Century Syndrome, about Y2K:

http://www.cpsr.org/publications/newsletters/issues/1999/Winter1999/cl arke.html

It was published in 1990 and is from the book The Ghost from the Grand Banks.

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), January 04, 2000.

You folks are killing me. The diverse information given on this board is too much! This is certainly better than "tee vee" at 1:00 a.m.

-- lurking and laughing, as usual (lindagrog@aol.com), January 05, 2000.