Been working on y2k for mid size company. We are not done nor will we in the next 6 month's. The company's GREAT Leaders gave me 2 weeks to make us y2k compat. It can't be done .I have been building and programing computers for 17 years..and warning them for 11 month's.. to no good.. For the one's out there that think that everything will be alright then think so...don't care... None of the company's in this town in this MISSOURI town or other's near , are close . All I have to say is get ready and get as many other's around you as YOU can, because what YOU are told is not what is going on.... I have been working 16 hours a day for what seems like forever. and I am tired... also we are having problem's geting supplies here of just about everthing.....

-- Rocky McCormick (harpoon@u-n-i.net), October 12, 1999

Answers

Trying times at a small company...

We just upgraded our company software to all "Y2K" compliant stuff... ACT2000 is JUNK! It sends confidential email that is ment for one client to other clients who are direct competitors. WATCH OUT the POP3 mail server for ACT2K is really BUGGY! Half of the email addresses that were imported from ACT2 will not send! It seems to attach other clients as a CC: with no apparent operator control (it groups Emails from the last several records you have been using). It is bringing MY company to a stand still....

I can not even get symantec to answer the phone!

I tried the Net UPDATE and it claims I have the latest and greatest.

And FAXPRO is not much better, but it does not seem to send FAXES to the wrong clients............

This is a bunch of SCHLOCK!!!!!!

-- Helium (Heliumavid@yahoo.com), October 12, 1999.

Those who had prepared knew all that you have just reported last year. They did hope those around themselves would prepare and in most cases preparedness was rejected. There is nothing to be had for it all. A tiny amount of people will be reasonably comfortable and most people will be miserable. It's really too late to inspire another and we pretty much will be entering the nastier end of the Y2K syndrome as is upon this day. Now the predictions of coups and rebels trying to sabotage nuclear arsenals have come to roost thus potentially preempting Y2K failures. It's just enough to keep up with the news of events unfolding, double check ones own preparations, and obtain any forgotten or last minute items. Thanks for the alert but I don't think most people here read anything they hadn't known already.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), October 12, 1999.

I'm guessing the area your in is S.W.Missouri.I live in Missouri and would like to know ,if the company you work for,could cause health problems if things went wrong and if so what kind and how big of an area are we talking about?If you can please answer all or part of the questions.Thank you.

-- Maggie (aaa@aaa.com), October 12, 1999.

NO will be no health problems from this company none what so ever.. If there was I would say so , I am not giving the name of the company be cause it would cause me and others to be FIRED... That is a very big problem with reporting.. what is going on in the computer field.. But things are not what they seem it is worst than you think I work for many company's in this region and other states and the company's first request is that there name is not posted. They are afraid of law suites and it is very real..k...

-- Rocky McCormick (harpoon@u-n-i.net), October 12, 1999.

Sorry about the spelling when I say that I am very tired I mean it.. I have been working about 70 hour's a week . That is the last few weeks ..k

-- Rocky McCormick (harpoon@u-n-i.net), October 12, 1999.

Rocky, thanks for posting here. First-hand accounts are valuable. Gives us clues what to sorta expect. Of course ppl are cautious because one never knows how much of the truth is being stated, but some info is better than none. Helium, eeegrokee! Some screw-ups, eh? What are the clients saying ;^) And Paula, who are you?

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), October 12, 1999.

Thanks Rocky, for answering my question about health concerns.I understand that you can't say the company's name.Thanks for the information that you gave.Alot of people believe the company line that everything is going to be fine.You are amoung many here that know that's not the case.Thanks again for the post.

-- Maggie (aaa@aaa.com), October 12, 1999.

It is not a shame to be afraid of the information you get . That is what the problem is . I have found that the message is If you are told that the info is bad new's then it is not true. I hope that I am wrong and that all of you and the world can say I told you so. I will be looking at this web site in coming days . After all the time I have been doing this I have not seen this web site... Pleas if anyone has the same info.. please post it . It is time we try to get things right........

-- Rocky McCormick (harpoon@u-n-i.net), October 12, 1999.

Sorry Rock to Rant on your exellent thread.

We are in the middle of a computer "up grade" and the chants of "we want the old software" get to me at times.

I fear that even with Y2K failures, the big changes to new software may be as bad a pill as the failure of the old.

Damned if you do...Damned if you don't.....

Between a rock and a hard place....

I wish you well, this fourm has lots of good people.

-- Helium (Heliumavid@yahoo.com), October 12, 1999.

Rocky:

Your spelling's not bad, but you need to remember that plurals don't take apostrophes. Those are for contractions and possessives.

Do you think your company will be able to survive at all? It might be time to bail, right now.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), October 12, 1999.

Rocky, You sound absolutely exhausted. Frustrated, batting your head against a wall and getting nowhere. Would you listen if told to take some time for yourself at this point?

-- Rachel Gibson (rgibson@hotmail.com), October 12, 1999.

This is how bankruptcy works.

Businesses that understand that they are hosed are not going to step forward and announce it. They'll ride the horse into the ground and when it can't go one step further--get off and head for the hills. It won't be pretty.

Here's the contingency plan for my small business (5 employees)

1. Kept employees up on economy-wide Y2K developments since 1998, with emphasis on "None of us may have a job after 2000" We service a luxury item that will likely be cast off in an economic downturn. Serious preparations made by 3 of 5.

2. Computers OK, but power/phone? How much dirty power before the computer is smoked? OK, battery/UPS installed. Ordered old fashioned ledger cards and invoices for billing. Sitting in the box. Post Office not compliant, I don't think I'll order any stamps ahead of time.

3. Over Christmas, or before if need be, all valuable equipment and inventory is getting moved out of the shop and brought home to wait out the "holidays".

4. Keeping cash balances in business accounts low, throwing as much money as practical to the employees. TRANSLATION: All plans for the future have been put on hold. Haven't been retaining business cash for expansion plans AT ALL.

Now, that's what I call a contingency plan. You need us? We'll try to help as long as: it is safe to do so (crime under control) power is on phones work you can pay we can get resupplied for used inventory

Hmmm.....I count a lot of variables NOT under my control....not good.

-- JIT (JIT@rightnow.net), October 12, 1999.

We got a strange eMail from: harpoon@u-n-i.net

Hope it's cleared up ...

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), October 12, 1999.

This is one of those threads that get's right to the nitty-gritty of things. The true everyday experiences of people and their employers/employees, says a lot about what is happening everywhere. The sophisticated Fortune 500 companies are in the same boat but it's the almighty dollar they are clenching until the bitter end that keeps them from telling the truth.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), October 13, 1999.

Ashton and Leska,

What kind of strange E-Mail?

-- Maggie (aaa@aaa.com), October 13, 1999.

Maggie, Just wanted to pass you a steamin' cup of cybercocoa, and to sit and rock with you a spell. I've noticed that you seem to be just a tad alarmed, from the sound of some of your recent posts. Understandable. Pretty doggone shocking mess we're in. I was wondering if you have been able to focus in a relaxed and practical way on your preps? If there's anything we can do, let us know. You're among friends here who understand.

-- Faith Weaver (suzsolutions@yahoo.com), October 13, 1999.

I just received a new computer (4th purchased since 1984). It is a Pentium III, 500 mhz, 256 Ram, etc., and it is incredibly buggy. It keeps seizing on three different video games. I get error defaults and seizure when I try to load any template document from WP Suite. I won't mention the manufacturer's name, but I have never encountered problems before with a new computer. Back it goes.

-- Brad Geyer (gootter@home.com), October 13, 1999.

Thanks Rocky,

Do be sure to take some time out to regroup, sleep... and prepare.

Good luck.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), October 13, 1999.

Rocky...thanks so much for the input. You will need all your strength to go through 2000 AD, so I do hope that you will be able to get some rest before TSHTF. You wrote well: I could feel your sense of presssure and exhaustion.

JIT...we all should take our hats off to you in admiration at the decent, humane way in which you have treated your employees, and at the way in which you have tried to prepare them and your firm for Y2K. If only every entrepreneur, every corporation, every agency in the USA had people like you at the helm, just imagine how different the future would be!

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), October 13, 1999.

Faith,enjoyed the cocoa .How very kind of you for sending it to me.

My preps are done for the most part,a few more loose ends to tie up.I realized last night that I need let go of the things I can't change and cocentrate on the ones I can.Thank you for caring.

-- Maggie (aaa@aaa.com), October 13, 1999.