http://www.csmonitor.com/todays_paper/reduced/today/econ/econ.4.html

Some of the news media is still clueless.

Worked Up About Y2K? Get it In Writing

Guy Halverson, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

BOSTON -- Q. I've read dire predictions related to the computer problems associated with the year 2000 (Y2K). We are told that we may be without food, bank accounts, power, etc. Is this inflammatory writing, or should we doing something to protect ourselves?

- R.D.

via e-mail

A. Sounds inflammatory to us. While there are still serious problems to be resolved regarding the Y2K problem, just about everyone involved - governments, banks, and businesses - is working flat out to be ready.

Most financial institutions are reworking computer programs, says a spokesman for the American Bankers Association in Washington. Some smaller banks may be less prepared than larger institutions, so ask your bank about its plans.

Meantime, it may be prudent to keep detailed records (on hard copy, outside your computer system) on all your accounts and assets. {Most financial institutions..some smaller banks. Please don't be too specific.) At least they got it right about the hard copies.

-- Mike Lang (webflier@erols.com), October 26, 1998

Answers

Awareness level 1: Maybe we better make sure this date thing doesn't affect us any. Why don't you tell someone unimportant to look into it in his spare time?

Awareness level 2: Look at all these year 2000 status report requests we've been getting. Why not fill one of these out just to see where we stand. Bud *don't* return it unless legal says it's OK.

Awareness level 3: There's date bugs everywhere we look? Come on, how bad can it be? But go ahead and put some fulltime junior people on it if you think you must.

Awareness level 4: Really serious? Could have a big impact on the bottom line sometime in the future? OK, I'll give it a budget and a staff, say 20% of IT funding. And put one of our top people on it if he's not doing something important right now. Make sure PR gets the word out that we're right on top of this.

Awareness level 5: What do you mean, our computers crashed, our database is scrambled and we can't recover? And if our key supplier can't supply then fire him and find someone who can! I want everyone on this 24 hours a day until you get it fixed, you hear? And why wasn't I TOLD about this?

Awareness level 6: Suppose this water's safe to drink? I'm pretty thirsty, but it looks a little off color. Sure hope it rains soon.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), October 26, 1998.

Awareness level 7: And its the fault of those Y2K doom-and-gloomers. They CAUSED this by SAYING that this would happen! It certainly isn't MY fault!!

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.net), October 27, 1998.