It's Y2K daily for some Russians
<< "The good news is that a lot of things don't work in Russia, and, therefore, Y2K will not be a catastrophe," says Lawrence Haw, director of international operations for System Integration Technologies, which helps companies plan for Y2K glitches. He adds that Russians are much more used to putting up with glitches in electricity, telecommunications, transportation and water systems -- all of which are vulnerable to Y2K failures -- than are Americans .
In Russia, there is no need for an excuse as large as Y2K for water-supply breaks, power outages or dead phone lines.
People in several regions throughout the country have been living with heating and electricity shortages for years, usually because their local administrations can't pay the bills.
"My phone went out last week, and this week my power was off for half a day," says Natalya Ryabova, a Moscow shop clerk who lives in the center of the capital. "Why should I worry about what might happen six months from now?"
Russians, in this respect, are more psychologically prepared for the potential Y2K glitches than their Western counterparts. >>
... more at ...
usatoday.com
|
