This post got it right: "Y2Krap is a hoax. Haven't you learned that? Its bogus. Fraud. Leave it alone." The conspiracy theorists and panic mongers should be laughed back to their bunkers. What will they think up next? Asteroid attacks? Death plagues? Sentient computers? Army ants? It's sad, really, that so many suckers bought generators, beans, and gold. Sold your shares? Good move! You've missed the biggest bull market in history. I know dozens of IT professionals, none of whom did so much as fill a kettle up with water on December 31. Ironically, the Y2K hoax was fostered by cash-hungry consultants and big government -- hardly the heroes of the conspiratorial crowd.

-- rjames (rjames23@aol.com), January 05, 2000

Answers

I'm a new observer to this forum, so there's something I don't understand. Why the smug-ness from those who never believed there would be a Y2K problem? There seems to be an "I told you so" attitude and I don't know what the point of that is. Does it make people feel better? I'd hate to be their children and make a mistake based on information I believed at the time.

I guess this is a rhetorical question. I'll assume I'll get slammed now!

For what it's worth, I DID heed warnings and prepared to some extent. After living through the Loma Prieta earthquate in CA in 89, I've always made it a point to have an adequate supply of food & water on hand. I was a LITTLE skepticle about Y2K, but I don't have cause to laugh at anyone. After all, did anyone really KNOW what would happen? I think only God did.

-- Newbie (newcomer@this.site), January 05, 2000.

I'm not sure God knows how to program so I'm not sure even He knew what was going to happen. :-)

-- Terry Bittner (tbittner@softbitenterprises.com), January 05, 2000.

You don't understand the basic, underlying premise here. These people are obsessed with conspiracies. Trust me, any conspiracy will do and nothing is too preposterous. Y2K is just the latest. In a month or two they will all move on to something else just as absurd or worse.

This forum has little to do with computers, it has to do with people who live their lives in fear of everything. Whether it be the Government, the Bermuda triangle or little green men from Mars, it makes no difference to them. They prefer to live in their pathetic little worlds, professing to be the keepers of some arcane and esoteric knowledge that is being covered up by the powers that be for whatever reason. And the rest of us are too blind and stupid to figure it out for ourselves.

Please, these people deserve our sympathy, not our derision.

Just remember everyone, truly saving oneself has little to do with how much you store up, but how much you give away.

God bless, Jeff

-- Jeff Hoffman (Bogrites_rulz69@att.net), January 05, 2000.

Jeff, no disrespect intended, but if you feel that way, why are you here?

-- Newbie (newcomer@this.site), January 05, 2000.

I'm not quite sure why those who never believed Y2K was ever a problem have found their way onto this forum! There have been some who have espoused radical ideas, but from my observations on this forum for the last year or so I have found that most who have posted here were highly intelligent and thoughtful people. We dodged a major bullet because of the outcries of those on this forum and others. Do you think that you could have your latte if this problem had not been tackled with such fervency? I have no regrets about my preps because we could have an ice storm tomorrow and I could put them to use. As far as buying a generator, we in the Northeast have our power interrupted on a regular basis. Sometimes for only a few hours and in the case of the great ice storm for 5 weeks or more for some. I have spoken to hundreds or people in the past 2 years and most of them were preparing for Y2K and the future. Why is it OK when the government spends millions on Y2K bunkers, but we are seen as hoarders and nutcases for spending a few bucks on preps for our families! In the past few days I have seen all kinds of people come out of the woodwork proclaiming that we were all crazy and that Y2K was a hoax. Not even Koskinen believes that and he said it publically. Maybe those who sold everything and moved to the boonies did go a little too far, but that was a very small minority of those on this forum. It is not a crime to want to protect your family from the unknown. Enough said, Diane

-- Diane (cptlauthor@aol.com), January 05, 2000.

Dear Newbie,

I believe that you are witnessing something called "trolling".

-- M (m@m.m), January 05, 2000.

Dianne and Newbie...it's a simple reason that people like Terry and Jeff come here...they are sitting in their homes in front of a computer. No one here knows who they are so they feel safe in posting whatever they want. I see the same losers in chat rooms. Usually they have names like "12inchDick" or "HotSex". These people are nobodies. They got lucky. Otherwise they'd be beating on our doors begging for water and warmth.

So be proud that you took the time and effort to preppare for yourself and family. Let no one dissuade you. They are the only ones who lose in the end.

-- Satanta (EventHoriz@n.com), January 05, 2000.

Jeff:

Please come and save me and the rest of us misguided people.

We're all idiots, but the real question is why are you still checking in on all of us idiots (got nothing better to do - then surely you need help to get a live)? In the words of Obiwan "Who is the bigger fool, the fool or the one that follows the fool?"

Just incase you are the bigger fool, that was you que to save yourself and leave so you don't throw yourself in with all the idiots, like me who are still here.

-- Interested Spectator (is@the_ring.side), January 05, 2000.

rjames,

You must get all of your news and information from the Cartoon Network.

-- tom is the cat (jerry@is.the.mouse), January 05, 2000.