Smooth sailing on Y2K Monday, No major problems reported

By Staff Reports

1/4/00

After a weekend of post-Y2K testing, area companies reported a few small bugs that quickly were squashed, but no significant problems. Oklahoma Natural Gas Co., the state's largest gas utility, reported no major Y2K-related troubles thus far in 2000.

The company, however, did experience a Y2K glitch that affected the scheduling of service orders. The problem, though, was minor and was corrected soon after it was discovered Monday morning, said ONG spokesman Roger Mitchell.

"There was no impact at all on the customer because we caught the issue," Mitchell said.

A spokesman for Public Service Company of Oklahoma said Monday that the PSO system, which supplies electricity to more than 480,000 Oklahoma customers, remained unaffected by the Y2K bug.

Many of PSO's computer systems and equipment were replaced with new Y2K-resistant systems several months ago, said Waldo Zerger, PSO's vice president of operations. Much of the work was done before 1996, Zerger said.

"We did everything we could do to be ready to go," Zerger said. PSO spent more than $3 million to get ready for Y2K "because the opportunities for problems were real," he said. Had the company not prepared for the date change, "big problems" could have occurred, Zerger said.

Y2K didn't bug Oklahoma banks and credit unions, but one bank reported a record number of ATM withdrawals.

The transition to the new century put financial institutions on alert for potential computer glitches, despite several years of testing and renovating systems so they wouldn't misread 2000 as 1900.

"Friday broke our all-time record for ATM withdrawals for cash, but just by a hair," said Mike Elvir, BOK Financial Corp. executive vice president and chief information officer.

He added that New Year's Eve withdrawals exceeded those of a previous Friday before a holiday. But the branches were quiet Friday after an upturn in customers asking for statements or conducting other banking business on Wednesday and Thursday, he said. The bank began formal verification of its 150 systems and 120 locations at daybreak Saturday and found virtually no problems.

"I think we're in excellent shape. Things continue to look good today," Elvir said. "We have been finding some minuscule things here and there."

Bank officials found some reports printed incorrect dates, but those things have no impact on the bank or customers, he said.

Some experts predicted that many people would withdraw money in case faulty computers interrupted banking systems or the flow of goods. Oklahoma Bankers Association spokesman Darrell McClendon said he spoke with about 10 banks late Friday and, although some reported increased ATM withdrawals, none reported extraordinary withdrawals. He said a small number of people withdrew $1,000 or more and others requested account balances.

The Oklahoma Credit Union League said the state's 100 credit unions weren't bombarded with nervous customers. Although there were some anecdotal reports that customers on Monday were returning money withdrawn for Y2K, that apparently was not widespread.

"All credit unions are reporting things pretty much as usual," said spokeswoman Lisa Finley.

Amy Roush with Communication Federal Credit Union said there weren't many people withdrawing money, and business seemed typical for Monday.

Tulsa International Airport successfully checked critical systems early Saturday, both on the airfield and in the terminal. Airfield tests focused on 15 systems, including fire trucks, emergency communications, lighting, aircraft rescue, snow removal and power generators.

Inside the passenger terminal, officials checked 30 systems including fire alarms, public address, flight information displays, lighting and baggage handling.

"Everything went just as it was supposed to," said Airport Director Brent Kitchen.

Tulsa-based Williams reported continuing success with the Y2K- related systems in its communications and energy divisions. "We had scheduled regular status reports throughout the weekend," said spokeswoman Ellen Averill. "Things were going so well we shut down our status reports early.

"We had anticipated all along that we would be able to provide uninterrupted service. That is exactly what happened."

Contributing to this report were Tulsa World business writers Sonya Colberg, Russell Ray, John Stancavage, Don Stewart and Becky Tiernan.

Source: Tulsa World, Tulsa, Oklahoma

http://search.tulsaworld.com/archivesearch/default.asp?WCI=DisplayStory&ID=000103_Bu_e1smooth

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Bugged Web program zaps agency

By WORLD CAPITOL BUREAU

1/4/00

`Beware of free software,' Ben Frizzell agency's spokesman

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Officials are looking at state government's only Y2K glitch as a gimmick and a lesson, but not an opportunity for prosecution.

"Our message in all of this is beware of free software," said Ben Frizzell, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency Management.

The department had downloaded onto its web page a piece of free software that showed a clock counting down the time until 2000. When the clock hit midnight 2000, the message "Get Ready for Chaos!!!" appeared on the web page.

Within about a half an hour, officials had managed to change the message to "Happy New Year," Frizzell said.

A person who clicked on the first message would have been taken to another web site with the message, "You're Not Doomed!" with links to several Year 2000 vendors, he said.

Source: Tulsa World News, Tulsa, Oklahoma

http://search.tulsaworld.com/archivesearch/default.asp?WCI=DisplayStory&ID=000103_Ne_a9bugged

-- Lee Maloney (leemaloney@hotmail.com), February 17, 2000