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Technology Stocks : Discuss Year 2000 Issues -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Mansfield who wrote (2728)	10/16/1998 5:01:00 PM
From: Stewart V. Nelson	Respond to of 9818

John At last a "Y2K error in our favor!" BT EXCLUSIVE: Y2K readiness causes Amesbury billing error by Bill Burke/BusinessToday staff A Year 2000-related computer problem has prevented more than 100 Amesbury homes from receiving their latest water bills. The town's computers had recently been brought into Y2K compliance, but incorrectly read the current date - 1998 - as 2008. As a result, more than 100 homes have not been charged for water use over the most recent billing period. According to Amesbury's Chief Financial Officer Donald Young, it's not that the town's computer system didn't work under Y2K conditions, it's that it worked too well. Someone entered the year as "08" instead of "98," Young said. "So the computer was waiting for 2008 to issue the next bill." If the system had not been brought into compliance, it would've read the date as 1908 instead of 2008. In a sense, it illustrated the department's Y2K readiness. "It would've said the bills were due, but they would've owed about $11 million," Young laughed. Town officials discussed the computer error yesterday, and said it would be fixed within the month. "They (customers) won't be penalized in any way for our error," Young said. The error reportedly came to light only after several customers called to inquire why they hadn't received a water bill. Young said the town has been reporting its progress and has received guidance on the state level about how to proceed with its Y2K issues. At:http://www.businesstoday.com/techpages/y2kamesbury101698.htm