Here's a fascinating e-mail exchange from the CompuServe engineering forum, between a systems integrator and Dick Morley, known as the "Father of the PLC", which for non-techies, is the Programmable Logic Controller, the major control device on our manufacturing plant floors today. Dick is also a highly respected entrepreneur, visionary, and all around good guy. Here's what he had to say in response to some Y2K questions...his answers are in CAPS...and understand that Dick talks straight from brain to keyboard, so sometimes he paraphrases even himself!
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OK, how about a prediction closer to home? Y2K. What'sa gonna happen? With respect to civilization as we know it.
DOING A DISCOVERY HOUR ON THE SUBJECT. DID THE INTERVIEW AND SOME OF THE SCRIPT..
Most plants I deal with are working on it in one form or another. Are they going to get all the possible problems.
NO
Are they going to get the major systems handled?
YES
Even so I have a friend who feels "A cascade of problems in systems that operate our economy and the distribution of critical utilities such as food, water, and power could cause a systemic breakdown that throws the economy into a deep shock, leading to hunger, riots, and ruin.
BALONEY
Additionally, the panic associated with the anticipation of such a disaster could itself precipitate an economic collapse...
IS THIS A MEDIA DRIVEN PROBLEM? A CHICKEN LITTLE PROBLEM?
NOW THAT IS THE *REAL* PROBLEM. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE ROLLOVER..IF THIS HAPPENDED IN 1996, WE WOULD TREAT IT LIKE THE PAGER PROBLEM. MY COMPUTERS CRASH SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. IT IS A TECH NON SERIOUS PROBLEM AND A SEVERAL CAPITAL MONEY SUCKING PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEM. THAT MAKES IT A REAL PROBLEM--
"Shock piled on shock could lead to large scale, long term
changes in our society. These issues are discussed in harrowing detail at garynorth.com. As a software tester and systems thinker, I think that we're all in a lot of trouble."
DISAGREE TECHNICALLY. BUT THE MEDIA CAN MAKE IT A SERIOUS PROBLEM. OUR VIDEO SUGGESTS THAT THE DICOTOMY BETWEEN US "ATLAS SHRUGGED" TYPES AND THE POLITIANS WILL MAKE GOOD VIEWING.
What do you think??
I AIN'T GONNA WORK ON COBOL. AND MOST PLC'S ARE NOT DATE SENSITIVE.
WE HAVE AN 8 MINUTE DEMO FOR THE MOVIE, AND WISH WE HAD ENUFF $$$ TO PASS THEM OUT. ALL POLS ARE CHICKEN LITTLE AND TECHS ARE "WHAT PROBLEM?".
SHOULD BE FUN..
BUT THE MONEY COULD BE USED TO GOOD ADVANTAGE ELSEWHERE..
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