Chapters 4-12 discuss roughly 9 key areas that I believe will be affected by Y2K, and which we may have to put back together again, Humpty-Dumpty style.

At the moment, each of these areas (e.g., health care) is discussed once under the heading of a "moderate" disaster, and then separately under the heading of a "serious" disaster. An alternative would be to combine both discussions into a single health-care chapter. Any opinons?

More important: what other key issues should be discussed besides the nine that I've

-- Ed Yourdon (HumptyDumptyY2K@yourdon.com), August 05, 1999

Answers

Hi Ed,

IMO, a single chapter for each of the 9 areas (what comprises the list of 9?) with an intro, and the two disaster levels.

-- Dean -- from (almost) Duh Moines (dtmiller@nevia.net), August 06, 1999.

Ed, could you list those 9 key issues here?

Health Care
Taxation?
Employment?
Education?
Local Government?
World Trade?
Fuel/Energy/Power?
Backing Banking?
TRUTHFULNESS by TBTB? Restoring faith in "established institutions" ?
Establishing New Institutions That Will Not Screw The Public?
Reforming Product Warranties?
Documentation?
Only A Few Self-Serving Entities Controlling Mass Media?

It's late, and not sure what all you're asking, so tomorrow, Tara ;^)

3~0 3~0 3~0 3~0 3~0 3~0 3~0 3~0 3~0 3~0 3~0 3~0

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), August 06, 1999.

Ahso!

Humpty Dumpty Y2K

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (the 9@this.hotlink), August 06, 1999.

I'd hope to see:

health care telecommunications banking government services petroleum products political stability (both internationally and locally) electricity/power other financial (insurance, stocks, bonds) economy (changes, including more distribution of goods and services via the internet?) civil rights (which may have been abridged during crisis)

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), August 06, 1999.

How about Transportation and Food Production/Agriculture?

How about Education?

Lora

-- Lora Ereshan (artemis45@hotmail.com), August 06, 1999.

http://www.berkana.org/articles/unknown.html

Leading Through the Unknowns of Y2K

Margaret J. Wheatley

The Year 2000 problem (Y2K) has become a powerful teacher about the modern world. It is making visible the vast systems of connections by which we have woven the world together through technology. It is illuminating the extent to which both local and global systems are dependent and interdependent on computers. It is displaying the limitations of traditional approaches to planning and management. And it is revealing our very human tendency to deny and hide from issues when they are too complex to comprehend.

No one can predict the extent or nature of the disruptions Y2K will cause. Yet the list of potential consequences from the failure of computers and embedded microprocessors to deal with the calendar shift to a four-digit year only keeps growing. While its impact remains unclear, we do know some things for certain: We are dealing with a new breed of problem--the failure of complex, interdependent systems. Few nations or systems will be unaffected. It is too late to expect a technical solution. And consequently, Y2K is now a social, economic, and political problem. If we understand these characteristics of Y2K, if we understand the real nature of what we are dealing with, we can approach it intelligently.

But we must first acknowledge that we are in new territory. When complex systems fail old patterns of thinking and managing simply dontwork. We need to become wise about these types of failures for theyincreasingly will confront us in the 21st century. What we learn now with Y2K can prepare us for this future...........

-- Tom McDowell (bullriver@montana.com), August 06, 1999.

One interconnected chapter.. Begin with fictional scenario of moderate...fun to read, then discuss moderate, then insert next fictional scenario of severe/serious... then discuss serious etc. A sort of fun hook, helps the big picture to sink in, but not as threatening because fiction etc.

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), August 06, 1999.

10 All the following is opinion, and NONE of it humble (LOL).

If you DON'T start out with the scenarios, in GENERAL that you are going to be looking at, there will be very little cohesion in the solutions. I understand about being disciplined, but you are going to have to go into each of the areas with a fairly solid set of parameters, or you'll accidently assume something is "open" in one subject and "closed" in another.

Besides, if you don't initially define/describe the "box" how are we to help you think outside it.

I suspect that you might want, also to use a similar paradigm to your TB2K "3 levels" of failure for this.

Chuck who will try to contribute something coherent after the weekend.

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), August 06, 1999.

I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to speak for the Earth. Effecting or being effected by considerations in every chapter is our interconnectedness with the environment.

Dr. Leon Kappelman has alluded to this in the past; perhaps he has some thoughts on the matter. Donella Meadows (author of 'Beyond the Limits,' director of the Sustainability Institute) writes a bi-weekly column, The Global Citizen ( http://iisd1.iisd.ca/pcdf/meadows/default.htm ). Dr. Meadows has addresses Y2K in a few of her columns. I would be happy to approach her for feedback, if you think it would be of any benefit.

Hallyx

"What if from the beginning of life, nature were perceived as teacher, guide, source; as important to us as our families? How differently would we live?"---Anita Barrows

-- (Hallyx@aol.com), August 06, 1999.

I liked the format you used for TB2000, one chapter per area with breakdown of alternative scenarios. I'm a little vague on this title, but I read a book THE FUTURE IN PLAIN VIEW (SIGHT?), and while I don't think he considered Y2K in any scenario, the author attempted to portray alternative ways in which people might reconcile some of our dominant conflicts in the next 50 (as I recall?) years or so. He addressed the global view, too. Might find some of his ideas interesting, and/or dovetailing with yours.

the major themes/concerns the world's peole will

-- Kristi (KsaintA@aol.com), August 06, 1999.