[GORE] 'Al Gore's Y2K letter to Ed Yourdon
The Vice President
Washington
March 5, 1998
Dear Mr. Yourdon:
Thank you for sending me a copy of your book
regarding the "year 2000" problem. I found
this material both interesting and informative,
and I appreciate receiving it.
The year 2000 computer problem is a seemingly
simple one: assuring that computers will
recognize the correct year when the year 2000
arrives. If software programs are not prepared
to handle the change of date on January 1,
2000, there is a potential risk to government
information systems and the programs they
support.
In response, the U.S. Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) formed an interagency working
group to address the problem. This group is
working with the Chief Information Officers
(CIO) Council to promote the sharing of
management and technical expertise througout
the federal government. Both the OMB and the
CIO Council are removing barriers that could
impede technicians from fixing existing
systems. The federal government also is
acquiring only year 2000 comliant information
technology in future procurement.
Despite the considerable progress the federal
government is making in addressing the year
2000 problem in federal computer systems, much
more remains to be done. The OMB has set
September 1998 as the target date for
completion of repairs or replacement of
computer systems. Testing of these systems
must be completed by March 1999. In addition,
officials at the OMB have served notice to all
government agencies that they will redirect
funds in an agency's information technology
account if it fails to make sufficient progress
in fixing this critical problem within its
networks.
Most recently, the President has established
the President's Council on Year 2000
Conversion. The Council will oversee the
activities of agencies and departments to
assure that their systems operate smoothly
through the year 2000, coordinate with State,
local, and tribal governments on this problem,
and promote appropriate federal roles with
respect to private sector activities in this
area.
Please be assured that we are working to
resolve this problem, to ensure that it will
not disrupt the administration of federal
programs. Once again, thank you for contacting
me on this most important matter.
Sincerely,
Al Gore
yourdon.com |
