X-Message-Number: 10109
Subject: Y2K
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1998 12:55:58 -0400
From: "Perry E. Metzger" <>

> From: Peter Merel <>
> 
> Like most people, I've been thinking of the y2k problem as just some COBOL
> legacy issue that might embarrass the odd bank manager. Last weekend I 
> started thinking about problems in firmware, and I've now realized
> we're looking at a series of events with catastrophic potential.

No, we aren't.

See CPSR's web page on y2k if you don't believe me. They have been
tracking stories about the subject, and have *NO* confirmed cases of
something that is both important and which will be unfixed.

Last weekend's successful test by brokerage firms demonstrated that
most of the financial industry is in fact up to date already.

I really can't believe the hysteria out there. People seem to be
completely out of their minds on this.

As a computer professional working in the banking industry, I will
make the following prediction: There will be problems during the Y2K
rollover, but they will be tiny, they will be rapidly detected and
fixed, and will not significantly hurt anyone. Most systems will be
fine.

>   * Beginning with 9/9/99, a date significant to legacy systems,

Ah, who encodes months and dates in one digit decimal? Anyone?

Where are you getting all this from? Are you just making it up?

>   * 1/1/00 itself will produce global disruptions in electrical generation
>     and distribution networks,

How? Where do you think the average electrical generator stores the date?

> telecommunications,

SS7 doesn't even have a year field in it.

> All in all, it looks like a bumpy ride.

How much do you want to bet?

> The obvious question is, what are prudent measures
> for orgs and individuals in the face of such events?

I'm going to be stocking up on caviar and good champagne, because all
the Y2K consultants getting filthy rich deluding otherwise sane people 
are going to suck up most of the supply.


Perry

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=10109