I wonder how many law suits will be flying around due to incompatible software?
With stand-alone PCs, we will change the date/time on our PCs manually at 6pm on 31st December 1999 to be 6am on 1st January 2000. On the 2nd Jan (next working day) at 9am, we will again change the date/t ime to take off the "dummy" 12 hours. Our Microsoft software - Win95, WORD, EXCEL etc. will cope with the Year 2000.
It would be helpful if software and hardware companies issued statements of which products are likely to be non 2000 compliant
Apple Macintosh rules OK
The Euro is much more worrying, as we're still using old accounts and MIS Software.
In my opinion this is an issue for Microsoft to deal with in terms of PC based MS-DOS / Windows systems - it's they who provide the date in the Operating System (OS) and they who could provide a fix at the OS level to give the correct date to any application which is being run under the operating system, it's the only place that you can implement a universal fix for all PCs running Microsoft OS's
We are spending an ever increasing amount of time providing answers to our customers who have been asking if the systems which we sell are year 2000 compliant. We have to ask the same questions of our suppliers etc etc it is taking up quite a bit of out time
All Mac systems will not be affected by the 2000 problem
The Experts seem unable to make the nature of the problem clear to the layman, which of course means inappropriate action.
Our computers were purchased after 1994 and only standard software is used eg MS Office and Quicken.
I don't use any date reliant systems - apart from a very simple invoicing thing, but I only have 2 or 3 invoices out at any one time, so I can adjust manually when the millenium comes along
It would appear that a lot of histeria is being generated about 2000. Could it be that greedy IT Consultants are trying to cash in ???
I think that there is a lot of scaremongering,and consequential profiteering from certain companies taking advantage of companies who are ignorant of what is involved in upgrading thier sytems and software,at the end of the day it is just a case of replacing electrical components.
The perception is that the problem is overblown. I think by the year 2000 no-one will be talking about this.
Like many businesses we have two types of software. PC based e.g. Word, Excel, Sage etc. which are either already Year 2000 or will be shortly through relevant upgrades. Mini computer i.e. VAX based software has either been upgraded or replaced as appropriate. This includes all of those little programs written in the dim and distant past to fix particular problems or for specific use.
The biggest problem with regards to Year 2000 is not a technical one. The biggest problem is attitude and approach. So many companies think that 'it will go away' and 'we won't be affected'. As a matter of course, we are asking all clients about their compliance and, should they fail to have a policy, then we will no longer deal with them from 1999 onwards.
The general feeling amongst most people we know is that on New years eve 1999 make sure you not in the middle of a flight and stay well clear from anything potentially dangerous and run by computer!
We are aware of the problem but will have to purchase a new accounts system
As we are a supplier of freelance and permanent IT Staff the Year 200 problem is key to us - we have more requirements for staff than we can actually fill and it is significantly adding to our increased turnover
I believe that I may have no power for up to 8 days, and therefore no water or telephone facilities because of this. So my compliance may be totally superfluous.
One good thing about a Power Mac is that you don't worry about the 2000 bug :-)
This issue is vastly over-hyped (largely by consultants looking to make a buck!). Standard s/w on PCs - MS, Lotus, etc. will all have no problem. I have database s/w dating back to 1987 which could cope with dates beyond 2000. Any company running major bespoke systems have no excuse not to have it right by the end of 1999. This has been confirmed to me by various contacts and friends, such as the head if IT at a major insurance company
Known impact - so no need to sort it out completely
As a Consultant in the IT and Telecommunications Industry, it would appear very few companies have still performed a thorough investigation of all their systems to ensure they will successfully run in to the next millenium. At highest risk would appear to be smaller companies, particularly those without IT staff, or who take the view that "all" package software, and particularly routine telecomms tasks, will just "continue regardless".
For the small business the only safe answer seems to be replacement, which needs to be scheduled so as not to disrupt the business.
We have a full tactical and strategic plan that will make us fully compliant before december 31st 1999
As an internationally operating consultancy it has been an eye opener to see how far behind the UK many West European countries are in respect to the y2k problem. Our experience is that if you ask a supplier in the UK, they will be at least aware if not actively doing something; if you ask a supplier in Germany they think you are nuts!
We have checked the problem and are aware of the implications. We are now discussing the best way to proceed to 2000+
Unfortunately too many UK businesses are still not taking the problem seriously
The Millenium Bug will have a wide reaching impact with some reports suggesting that between 1 and 20% of businesses will fail as a result of not beating it. With every day's delay, so the cost of Year 2000 compliance rises. Only by taking action now, can organisations, however large or small, seek to minimise the risk and associated costs of compliance.
Software companies who have marketed software since 1980 which is not Year 2000 compliant should be sued for developing software of non-merchantable quality, it's not as if this problem could not be seen coming. As for paying £millions of taxpayers money to sort out governm ent systems not Y2K compliant, that is outrageous.
We run a small software consultancy and know that the software we have written is year 2000 compliant but we have not checked our suppliers e.g. Internet Service Provider. We are assuming, perhaps foolishly, that organisations such as these are "on the case". We are also assuming that software such as Windows95 is year 2000 compliant. Is it?
not really relevant to me since I use no accounting procedures but I am buying new hardware/software in January to be sure.
Whilest our own company has been Y2K compliant for almost a year now, we are still having some problems with suppliers who either ignore our requests for statements of compliance for new products, or even have no awareness of problems relating to Y2K. We will be carrying out final testing of our external facing networks on May day 1999 - Anonymous comment from an equestrian web service provider.
Accounts/payroll packages need updating, but despite pushes from the software companies we will not update until 1999, as we know that further releases will be made prior to then.
All our new computers, Pentium equipped and bought from reputable suppliers are compliant. We do have older 8088 and 80286 computers - remember them? that still drive sophisticated laboratory equipment, which because they have no internal clocks (MS DOS 2) are not going to be a problem.
Meltdown awaits
Great way for software companies to make a killing. Invent software with built-in redundancy and then charge hundreds of times the original selling price to fix the problem. A variation on this theme is to spread scare stories about Y2K bugs that are going to stop the world and then provide ultra-expensive consultancy to fix the problem - pretty much like computer viruses: invented by people that go on to become anti-virus consultants. Best way to solve the problem is to junk everything that was programmed with a two-digit year field and take the opportunity to reinvent the organisation with shorter reporting lines, flatter management structure, fewer communication loops, etc. Implement only client/server systems using generic technology such as IP
I have heard a great deal about this and have done little to ensure that my particular system is going to be OK. My local PC experts have told me that they think! I will be OK. I would like a bit more reassurance.
When I bought three computers (pentium 233) one month ago, I was assured they are Millennium compliant. I don't know enough about computers to check this.
A complete audit has been carried out, we know what needs to be replaced and updated and therefore are confident of passing the millennium safely. What is of more concern, however, is 1. the political infighting between the government and the remnants of Task Force 2000 and 2. the difficulty in getting SMEs to believe there is a problem at all.
Local college has asked all its suppliers to sign a declaration that the supplier is year 2000 compliant failure to reply or be complinat is removal from supplier list!
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