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Technology Stocks : Y2K (Year 2000) Stocks: An Investment Discussion -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TEDennis who wrote (11572)	5/14/1998 3:14:00 PM
From: Jeffrey S. Mitchell	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13949

TED, I asked one of the country's most prominent Y2K lawyers pretty much the same question. I asked why it is that if one buys a toaster today and it shorts out on 1/1/2000 that one is likely to just chalk it up to fate and/or planned obsolescence? Yet why is it something you or I may have programmed in 1985 that fails on 1/1/2000 can get us sued for negligence? And, in the case of embedded systems, if a capacitor blows in our coffee maker after three years we might curse about caffeine withdrawal but we probably wouldn't think twice about going out that day and buying a new one. Yet if the chip that makes a fresh pot every Monday-Friday at 7am gets out of whack on 1/1/2000 we'd probably sue, or at least a bunch of law firms would probably sue "on our behalf". His answer? "It's not the same thing." Duh. - Jeff

To: TEDennis who wrote (11572)	5/14/1998 7:36:00 PM
From: Risky Business	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13949

What us worry? Here are the state agencies, departments and commissions that are behind schedule for fixing their "Year 2000" computer problems on time. This is just the state of Virginia: Department of Environmental Quality Various colleges: Christopher Newport University, College of William and Mary, James Madison University, Norfolk State University, Richard Bland College, Virginia Institute of marine Science, Virginia Military Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University Compensation Board (State Network Interface Project) Department of Corrections Department of Military Affairs Governor's Employment and Training Dept. Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services Department of Social Services Virginia Workers Compensation Commission (VWC) State Corporation Commission (SCC) Virginia Retirement System (VRS) For some agencies, risk levels can't be determined because they have failed to submit Y2K progress reports. They include: Department of Fire Programs Department of Health SOURCES: Virginia Century Date Change Initiative, interviews