X-mas Presents for DGI's

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A suggestion to anyone with DGI family/friends: If you are hosting Christmas celebrations this year with family/friends invited, prior to the festivities visit some websites with good FAQs, etc, print out multiple copies and leave them in conspicuous places about your house. A lot of us are experiencing frustation with trying to convince DGI's close to us, maybe this will help bring one or two around to at least do their own homework.

-- Lisa (LisaWard2@aol.com), December 08, 1998

Answers

Dear Lisa, It is wonderful that you are concerned and care enough to risk being thought a fool if that is the price of eventually getting through to the people you care about. The thing that bothers me here, is as follows: I am a Christian and personally believe that the state of your relationship with God is of even more importance than anything else, including Y2K. But would I have ever liked getting flooded with religious tracts? No, I would not, no matter how good the evidence. It would make me feel like I was being manipulated, coerced and not being trusted to think for myself (even I really wasn't- I respond much better to people who communicate their faith that I am doing my best, given what I know at the moment). Your family knows where you stand by now. Have some material available where it can be read by the curious (as in wanting to know why you've gone wierd). Ask their opinion. "Maybe you can refute this better than I. Please read it and give me your reasons." You can always print out extra copies if anyone expresses interest, or offer to print out the status of their utility, their bank (see former thread for the link). I know it is really important, but you can seldom force another person to do what is best for them. And if you love them, you need to respect their right to make choices, and that includes mistakes. I know it is hard; hang in there. Maria

-- maria (encelia@mailexcite.com), December 08, 1998.

Place Ed Yourdon's "Time Bomb 2000" on your holiday coffee table, and a copy in the powder room.

Give Y2K gift baskets, with lots of little survival goodies.

Better to take a stand and be thought "kooky" by the relatives. You are now in good company with 60 Minutes, Dan Rather, Newsweek, etc., and the newsmedia list keeps growing.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 08, 1998.


Thanks Maria, I understand your perspective. But, they already think I'm a kook and that happened long before Y2K was an issu..lol. I think just leaving it laying around for them to pick up "if they choose to" is a good idea. I certainly won't stand at the front door greeting and handing them a Y2K info sheet before they get in the door. All I intend to do is lead them to the water.

-- Lisa (LisaWard2@aol.com), December 08, 1998.

Diane, Great idea about Yourdons' TimeBomb book. I do have a copy, which was intentionally left on my desk at work for several months to promote dialogue, and I'll be sure and have it laying on the coffee table on Christmas.

-- Lisa (LisaWard2@aol.com), December 08, 1998.

Ha! When I was ordering food months ago I had the company send a case of soup to the DGIs in my family. The ate it! Thought it was good too. They still don't get it.

LM

-- LM (latemarch@usa.net), December 08, 1998.



This is what we have done:

Everyone on our Christmas list is getting a cast iron dutch oven, two pounds of beans and instructions on how to cook with a dutch oven.

All bathrooms at my house have Y2K information included in the usual reading material (I figure you have a captive audience, why not?)

Yourdon's book sits on the coffee table at all times.

We have volumes of reference material available to anyone who asks for more information.

We never miss an opportunity to inform...

jo

-- jo (gotheblues@freewwweb.com), December 08, 1998.


I understand your frustration. The information that is missing is a good explanation of the fix - not the problem. Everyone understands the problem of "00". What we need are some answers to questions like How many hours of assessment, remediation and testing does it take for the average small company, mid size company, large company, electric comany and telephone company? How many resourses are available? Where EXACTLY are they at. Not just % but % of specific numbers. I suspect that it would be difficult to deny the picture that these numbers would paint. I am still searching. Wouldn't you think the press would take on a project like this?

-- Kirsten Kohl (akkohl@aol.com), December 14, 1998.

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