Link to c4i-Pro digests

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Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 09:23:49 -0400 (EDT)
From: "David K. Proxxx" (PROxxx@vax2.concordia.ca)
Subject: c4i-pro Y2K or bust

"David K. Proxxx" (PROxxx@vax2.concordia.ca)

Y2K or bust

---------------

Perhaps naively, I wonder if a little accurate information about Y2K might both reduce disruption of the information infrastructure and promote public order.

But first, what is Y2K?

1) On the one hand, it is a perceived computer problem. Some people say that the computers we care about (quite a few, actually) may behave strangely on January 1, 2000 even after all the work that has been done to make as many computers as possible Y2K compliant.

This is improbable, in my opinion. I have a plane reservation for January 1, 2000---which sums up my degree of technological paranoia.

On the other hand, people worry me a little. There has been so much Y2K hype that I fear that, come January 1, POTS will be saturated. No dial tone, no dialup modems, no fax.

Some counterhype might just save POTS. Are all of you ready to go without a POTS telephone line for 2 - 3 days?

2) On the other hand, it is a perceived "millenium" problem. The FBI is warning that various kooks may go ape on January 1, 2000.

Well, kooks are kooks, but January 1, 2000 has nothing to do with the start of the next millenium. You will have to wait for January 1, 2001 for that.

How many media outlets, government spokesmen, etc., either encourage this bullshit or, at least, do not engage in a vigorous educational campaign to counteract it?

It may be argued that, by definition, the minds of kooks are closed. That's probably true.

But is there no virtue in telling the public that 1) computer Y2K will be a non-event, and 2) millenial Y2K may cause a few weirdos to act even more weirdly, but this has all the metaphysical significance of a bank robbery, since there won't be a millenium anytime soon.

People should still be allowed to party. But how much are you willing to pay for champaign to celebrate the Y2K bug?

David K. Proxxx

P.S. As a practical matter, base commanders can order troops to be sensitive to probable POTS saturation, and to do nothing to make it worse. Telephone networks to which the public does not have access will not be affected: it is Aunt Agatha worried about her niece in Kansas who is the biggest threat to POTS.

Date: Tue, 02 Nov 1999 00:56:39 -0400 (EDT)
From: "David K. Proxxx" (PROxxx@vax2.concordia.ca)
Subject: c4i-pro irony (corrected)

"David K. Proxxx" (PROxxx@vax2.concordia.ca)

irony (corrected)

------------

The poster from @iq.org (the irony) misses my Y2K point:

The only thing we have to fear is Auntie Em.

If I am a shopkeeper who is closed over New Year's, then it doesn't matter that much if I can't dial to the Visa center to get a confirmation number.

But if I am a member of the military, then it _might_ matter---depending on the balance between my telecommunications assets and my comm needs.

Even if all computers perform flawlessly, Auntie Em---worried sick about poor Dorothy in Kansas---might still throw a giant spanner into POTS. Together with others of her kind sort, of course.

.David K. Proxxx

-- (RUOK@yesiam.com), November 09, 1999

Answers

Don't you just love how many nobodies and nothings like the posted perceive themselves to be outside, just so very outside, "the masses?" [coughing] Some are just hell bent on making fools of themselves.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), November 09, 1999.

Milions of people every year on new years eve at 23.59.00 pick up the phone to call someone to wish him happy new year. In all those years people doing this....at least 80-90% of all have done it...... have maybe gotten a bussy signal but never ever in history of the telephone has it resulted in a total breakdown of the worldwide system.

So if the system breaks down it will NOT be autie Em but Y2k

-- BS (BS@BS.not), November 09, 1999.

Apologies for an incorrect link to the digest. Corrected link

Paula, I agree the poster sounds rather ethnocentric, for lack of a better word. It might be of interest to keep an eye on the digests and see if anyone takes issue with his views.

Here is a partial list of the domain names the listmembers are logging in from:

PENTAGON-HQDADSS.ARMY.MIL
pentagon-dcsper.ARMY.MIL
pentagon-reno.army.mil
rl.af.mil
mail02.mitre.org
GASAV.ANG.AF.MIL
fhu.disa.mil
afc4a.safb.af.mil
jads.kirtland.af.mil
mqg-smtp3.usmc.mil
nisewest.nosc.mil
inel.gov
rand.org
COMM.HQ.AF.MIL
BLDG284.AWACS.AF.MIL
GAMGE.ANG.AF.MIL
po3.nawc-ad-indy.navy.mil
hqaccin.langley.af.mil
C3IPNT.C3I.OSD.MIL
nise-p.nosc.mil
ANGRC.ANG.AF.MIL
C3IPNT.C3I.OSD.MIL
EMH10.MONROE.ARMY.MIL
DIS.WA.GOV
NCTCGW.NAVY.MIL
sptc.nesea2400.navy.mil
fafb.af.mil
stricom.army.mil
hq-out.navsea.navy.mil
hqaccin.langley.af.mil
ladc.lockheed.com
washington.cospo.osis.gov

-- (RUOK@yesiam.com), November 09, 1999.