SEPTEMBER 9, 1999: I posted this elsewhere, but thought it was also appropriate for this thread ...
Doug,
<On CNN today more bug dates.... This new one mentioned I'am confused on how it can be a problem ... 9-9-99 date>
Personally, I don't anticipate any major, earth-shattering problems. But, I could be wrong. There's been a lot of debate, misinformation and confusion about this issue. I'm sure, with most large, older systems, if there was a problem with 9999, most of the problems have already been addressed and remediated. This trigger date has been known about for some time. I don't believe 9999 was used with embedded systems & process control.
But, when you look at some of these "contingency planning and emergency scenario" drills, ALL scheduled for September 9 ... you gotta wonder:
- Sept. 9 also will mark the first test of a $40 million-dollar U.S. inter-agency Y2K center meant to give U.S. decision makers a round- the-clock view of Y2K problems in their areas of responsibility
- On Sept. 8 and 9, the North American Electric Reliability Council ... will rehearse an emergency scenario to test operating, communications and contingency responses for the Y2K transition ...
- The U.N.-backed International Y2K Cooperation Center ... is using Sept. 9 to rehearse a plan aimed at keeping up-to-the-minute tabs on how the world is faring as it enters 2000 ...
greenspun.com
============================================================
RE: Electric Industry North American-wide Y2k Readiness Drill Sept 8-9.
Come September 10, I expect we'll see media coverage:
- "Successful Y2K Nationwide Electric Utility Test"
- "Lights will stay on in 2000" ... blah blah
However, this drill is NOT a test to ensure that electricity will work during/after Jan 1 roll-over. End-to-end testing won't be done UNTIL Dec 31 - Jan 1 ... in "real time".
September 8-9 is a "drill" to make sure "procedures" are in place FOR POTENTIAL PROBLEMS during Jan 1 roll-over.
NERC now uses the term "Y2K Ready" instead of "Y2K Compliant" to rate the members within NERC. "Y2K Ready" is a rather ambiguous term. It can mean, "Yes we have remediated and should be complete by year-end." Or, it can mean, "Yes, we have been remediating. No, we don't think we'll be done by year-end. But, we're "ready" because we have contingency plans in place." [This, according to NERC.]
Message 11128414
This "Y2K Ready" rating bothers me more than the 9999 date problem.
Cheryl
116 Days until 2000 |
