Programmer's Paradise(R), Inc. announced that revenues and earnings for the second quarter ended June 30, 2000 are expected to be well below analysts' published expectations. The Company expects revenues to be in the range of $52 million - 14% below Q2 1999.

. . .

Bill Willett, CEO of Programmer's Paradise, commented, "Europe continues the slower than expected recovery from Y2K issues. However, our strong management team in Europe remains optimistic for recovery in the second half of 2000."

What does "Europe continues the slower than expected recovery from Y2K issues" mean? I thought that no one was supposed to have had any problems from Y2K.

Whazzup, CPR?

-- Newsman (all@the.news), August 06, 2000

Answers

My Dear Mr. Newsman;

Surely you jest sir! Every one knows that old "I own two electronics bizz's and have so many sheep skins there isn't enough walls to hang them on" Ceeper. an't be wrong! True! the Ceeper did say that he got into selling real estate because he needed to mke money (guess the electroic business isn't too profitable for him LOL)

Why every one knows that there aren't any Y2K problems! Those peskey shut downs, accidentel valve closures! The "We don't know what caused it! But she ain't Y2K"! PC slogan is truely wearing a bit thin. But let Ceeper ponder on the matter, I know he can come up with another politically correct phrase LOL

Now jump in here some where cpr...I know you are just itching to tear into some one with your virual reality teeth...

"As for me...I shall finish the Game"!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Shakey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-- Shakey (in_a_bunker@forty.feet), August 06, 2000.

What does "Europe continues the slower than expected recovery from Y2K issues" mean you ask?

Perhaps it means nothing. Perhaps Bill Willett, CEO of Programmer's Paradise, doesn't know shit from shinola. Or, perhaps, he is referring to the programming industry, and the issues he refers to are those arising from a lack of Y2K work now that the rollover has come and gone with nothing happening.

And, perhaps if people like Shakey hadn't recited every unattributed and unverified rumor over and over again like it was the gospel truth, people who listen to people like Shakey wouldn't have ended up in a bunker at fourty feet below.

-- E.H. Porter (Just Wondering@About.it), August 06, 2000.

Could mean that Programmer's Paradise (R) bet the whole wad on Y2k work and didn't have anything else in the pipeline for afterwards. I know a company or two that got themselves in the same bind.

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), August 06, 2000.

Golly, Mr. Newsman, if you're smart enough to find the Programmer's Paradise news release on the web, I'll bet you're smart enough to be able to go to their web site and read their annual report. Here's what they say in the management sumary from the annual report in March, 2000:

"Most catalog customers are individual programmers and developers and as such, were extensively involved in Y2K conversion projects and therefore delaying other development projects. In addition, no significant new technical software products were introduced into the channel during the second half of 1999 due to potential concerns surrounding Y2K issues."

PP sells software. They're saying that, in Europe, which is 67% of their business, new software projects have taken longer to get on- line after the rollover then they have in the US, mostly because Europe replaced most of their software last year when PP reported a sales increase of more than 20%. Therefore, this has affected their revenue.

Of course, you could have this out if you only wanted to allay your own fears. However, it's a lot more fun to spread a little of your own fears around, isn't it?

-- Jim Cooke (JJCooke@yahoo.com), August 06, 2000.

"Of course, you could have this out if you only wanted to allay your own fears. However, it's a lot more fun to spread a little of your own fears around, isn't it?"

Hi Jim. Nice to hear from you again. But what fears of mine are you referring to? You're right, I could go to their web site. Thanks for doing it for me. What you quoted from their report makes sense, but I feel that the statement which caught my eye implied things about Europe in general, not just Programmer's Paradise. If this is correct, then my original question still has merit.

-- Newsman (news@for.the.masses), August 06, 2000.

I just go back from Gerrrrmy. Is that in Eurpppe. :^)

Just wondered.

Best wishes,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), August 06, 2000.

Hi ya Z,

How are things in Euroland? Have they recovered from Y2K?

-- Izvestia Man (Iman@truth.or.news?), August 06, 2000.

NO of course not. They are all hiding in CAVES. The Italians who said they didn't do anything for Y2k actually spent ALL their money stockpiling PASTA and assorted foods because after all that is what Italians MUST HAVE daily, computers or no computers.

The French stopped shipping all French wines in 1997 so they could stock pile it all. After all that is what the FRENCH must have daily. They shipped Algerian wines with labels that looked like the real thing to STUPID AMERICANS who don't have a clue about Europe and Y2k.

-- cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), August 06, 2000.

Newsman,

I think you know exactly what I am refering to when you post a message like you did.

The CEO was speaking specifically about the software market in Europe and how their sales are down now because Europe replaced so much of their software last year. PP apparently forecast that their sales would be higher than they are and didn't properly account for the overhang of the previous year's sales. As it also says in the annual report, sales in general are down because of lack of any new "hot" items on the market.

Being a newsman doesn't mean copy and paste. It means trying to understand the meaning of a story. Your jab at CPR shows that this was not your intention.

-- Jim Cooke (JJCooke@yahoo.com), August 07, 2000.

What does "Europe continues the slower than expected recovery from Y2K issues" mean? I thought that no one was supposed to have had any problems from Y2K.

Well the reality is that IT is in the doldrums over here (UK). The contract market is dead, the number of permanent job vacancies is back to 1994 levels. There have been a spectacular number of expensive public sector IT disasters (cost overruns etc). Many companies are cutting back on their IT investment.

There are some positions for non-existent experienced web developers.

-- richard (richard.dale@onion.com), August 08, 2000.