ok,

I can see that it looks like oil is going nuts... but are we sure,imean SURE that y2k is to blame? If y2k was systemic, why aren't we seeing similar problems in other industries with more data interconnectivity, like banking or telecom? I don'tmean tobe argumentative,just looking for some clarification.... Could something else be causing this bad news in the oil sector?

-- jeremiah (braponspdetroit@hotmail.com), January 25, 2000

Answers

jereniah,

Patience, time will tell.

-- Michael (michaelteever@buffalo.com), January 25, 2000.

Darn fingers, meant jerimiah.

-- Michael (michaelteever@buffalo.com), January 25, 2000.

As I am sure you have read on this forum, there are a number of things coming together to cause the fuel shortage. Its a combination of things and y2k is one of them. It may be the straw that breaks the camel's back, so to speak. It could also be that we were told all along that banking/financial intitutions were spending big bucks and doing the remediation. I think with regards to the power grid, there was not a whole lot that had to be done when compared to banking. I think telecommunications must have done one hell of a good job of getting ready. But the oil industry was/is very closed mouthed about what they were doing, if anything. And I don't think they put the time and the money into it. I also think there is/was a lot of stuff that could only be fixed on failure and that is where we are right now...fixing on failure, be it a computer glitch that sends and oil shipment to LA rather than Seattle, or a computer glitch that explodes a pipeline or a refinery. Its still fix on failure. If this is true, it will get a lot worse before it gets better as the failure rate will probably be in excess of the fix rate regarding time. In addition we will have to deal with the cascading results of these failures. Like no oil, no electricity. No oil, no trains, planes or trucks...least of all the fact that you may be riding a bike to work!.......in a blizzard.....after a cold breakfast......after a cold snowy night......after your pipes have frozen.....after the heat went off....after.......!!!!

Taz...who is just a weaving her rugs and a thinkin' I sure is glad I'se prepared in all ways....food, water and fuel. Pollies, eat your heart out...it may be the only hot meal you get.

-- Taz (Tassi123@aol.com), January 25, 2000.

"Pollies, eat your heart out...it may be the only hot meal you get."

ROFLMAO !!!

-- merville (merville@globalnet.co.uk), January 25, 2000.

Taz, wish you are wrong!

No, wait, hope you are wrong, either way, things are getting dicey, aren't they?

-- Michael (michaelteever@buffalo.com), January 25, 2000.

Not yet Michael, wait a month. Or rather wait until the Silver Creek Snow Machine kicks in......

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), January 26, 2000.

If the oil reports are truly Y2K problems, this tends to point at embedded systems and not data interconnectivity problems. Banks and financial systems are places where the interconnectedness of companies is the poosible failure path. If it's a series of embedded system failures, look to other industries where embedded systems are used in their process.

Right now we're hearing about oil because of the short lead-times the oil industry's JIT system gives us. If we start hearing about shortages of manufactured items, say electronic equipment assembled using highly automated, precision assembly machines, or automotive and aircraft plants having problems because suppliers can't get them parts due to production systems failures, then you can bet it's a widespread embedded systems failure scenario.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), January 26, 2000.