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

To: IngotWeTrust who wrote (3103)	12/31/1998 12:32:00 AM
From: keith	Respond to of 9818

Thanks for the insight ole....reply in PM..checkin out for the night..keith

To: IngotWeTrust who wrote (3103)	1/1/1999 5:28:00 AM
From: John Mansfield	Respond to of 9818

'The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board provides a link to this Y2K web page dealing with the Chemical Industry and Y2K. I've posted the ASCII text from this page below. - Roleigh --------------------------------------------------------- who.int INTERNATIONAL CHEMICAL SAFETY ADVISORY Issued by THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL FORUM ON CHEMICAL SAFETY Chemical Safety Advisory Introduction \| Clearing House on Chemical Emergencies IFCS Home Page \| Site Index \| Forum NEWS The Computer year 2000 problem, unless properly addressed, poses significant world-wide chemical safety problems. Nations and organizations are at various stages of dealing with the issue. Relevant available information should be shared regarding steps which have been taken and which should be taken, and contingency plans developed to reduce the potential adverse impacts to health and safety. Some computer hardware and software designs will not function in the Year 2000 (Y2K). The sources of Y2K problems are pervasive, and can affect: computer clock mechanisms, operating systems, software packages, libraries, tools and application software. In addition, many different types of computer technology systems are at risk, such as: personal computers, mainframe and mini computers, programmable logic controllers, microprocessors, and embedded software-based systems. These flawed designs became standard throughout all sectors of the world's economy, including chemical processing, handling, distribution and disposal industries. Larger technology systems developed around failed computer designs, thereby creating a monumental problem. Fixing this problem is technically complicated and costly. Deadlines are certain and immutable. Several classes of date problems will be encountered over the next several year beginning in 1999: the major problem of relying upon 2 digits to indicate calendar year dating; and others, such as incorrect leap year algorithms, alternative number codes, and rollover of registers used to store date-related data. It is too late for some important systems and organizations to completely resolve the problem before the deadlines. Available skilled personnel and financial resources are not sufficient. Chemical safety concerns include complete failure of safety-related systems (control and protection), malfunctions of embedded microprocessors in equipment, and potential failure to respond correctly to program instructions. In the chemical manufacturing area much has already been done by governments and industry, but there are gaps, most particularly in small- and medium-sized companies, and governments. Much effort should be directed towards embedded systems which include alarm systems, computer motherboards, system controls, lighting controls, process controllers, pumps, refrigeration controls, and valves. The need is manifest to establish health and safety protection as the highest priority. In addition to continuing or initiating actions to prevent failures, all governments and organizations dealing with the problem are encouraged to develop contingency planning, including, where appropriate, manual override systems to deal with various types of failures. The ISG 3 takes note of the statement of the OECD Working Group on Chemical Accidents which "agreed that both industry and governments must assume responsibility for the safe operation of chemical installations: governments must alert industry to possible problems; industry must self-police its hazardous chemical installations; and governments must be prepared to act immediately when notified of specific problems" and encourages utilization of the recently established OECD Electronic Information Clearing House on Chemical Emergencies. Linkages will be established on the IFCS website (http://www. ifcs.ch) to guide all concerned governments and organizations to information relevant to dealing with the problem. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roleigh Martin ourworld.compuserve.com ( easy to remember alias is: webalias.com ) (A Web Site that focuses on Y2k threat to Utilities, Banks & more) To subscribe to free e-letter, fill in the form at the bottom of the page: ourworld.compuserve.com

To: IngotWeTrust who wrote (3103)	1/1/1999 5:30:00 AM
From: John Mansfield	Respond to of 9818

'an international workshop on the Y2K bug and the nuclear industry' 'This coming February 10, 1999, there will be in Ottawa, Canada, an international workshop on the Y2K bug and the nuclear industry. It will be hosted by the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) of Canada Here is a press release about this and some background information. --Roleigh -------------------------------------------------------------------- nea.fr Paris, 27 October 1998 JUST PUBLISHED THE MILLENNIUM BUG AND THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY As a contribution to the efforts of its Members to anticipate and minimise the potential impact of the "millennium bug" (Y2K) on the safe operation of the nuclear industry, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) has launched a comprehensive plan of action which includes the systematic collection of information on the status of preparedness of its Member countries to deal with this issue; the setting-up of an international network of national co-ordinators, using an electronic "mail-box" to facilitate regulatory exchanges of information; and the organisation of an international workshop which will take place in February 1999. This plan is fully co-ordinated with - and complementary to - those being carried out by other international organisations. It is well recognised that the change in dates from 31 December 1999 to 1 January 2000 (and possible other dates) will present many challenges to government and industry as well as to private individuals on a world-wide basis. While much focus has been placed on areas in the public domain such as the financial and medical sectors, this issue also impacts the nuclear industry. Computers have been integrated into nearly all aspects of nuclear installations, which means that Y2K problems could potentially affect activities, such as maintenance schedules, control and monitoring systems, security systems, etc. Both nuclear regulators and industry in the NEA Member countries have been pro-active on this issue for several years. Licensees' programmes are varied in both scope and content but most are currently expected to be satisfactorily complete by the end of 1999. The main objective of the workshop, which will be hosted by the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) of Canada in Ottawa from 8 to 10 February 1999, is to provide an international forum to exchange information on the impact of the year 2000 on the nuclear industry. Specific objectives are to discuss regulatory and industry strategies on the issues involved; to discuss lessons learned and corrective actions taken and planned; to assess what still needs to be done in terms of contingency planning; and to review other international and global implications. The workshop will deal with actual problems found and how they are being handled to allow attendees insights on where they may need to concentrate their remaining efforts. Issues covered will include the identification of the nature of the problem, time of occurrence and safety importance; the identification of systems/equipment/expert systems to be tested; and test methods and procedures. The workshop will also look at examples of specific contingencies developed in response to individual plant issues and actions which need to be taken, as well as general precautionary contingencies. A report on lessons learnt will be produced in 1999. -------------------------------------------------------------------- News Media Contact : NEA: Jacques de la Ferté Tel.: (33) 01 45 24 10 10 Fax.: (33) 01 45 24 11 10 E-mail: news.contact@nea.fr -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roleigh Martin ourworld.compuserve.com ( easy to remember alias is: webalias.com ) (A Web Site that focuses on Y2k threat to Utilities, Banks & more) To subscribe to free e-letter, fill in the form at the bottom of the page: ourworld.compuserve.com To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe" message to roleigh_for_web-unsubscribe@egroups.com Print out this Y2K brochure to give to your neighbors, friends & relatives: ourworld.compuserve.com

To: IngotWeTrust who wrote (3103)	1/1/1999 5:33:00 AM
From: John Mansfield	Respond to of 9818

'United States Information Agency ' 'About the below four paragraphs of Abrams' interview, (referenced here last night), Bonnie Camp on the EUY2K forum made interesting comments/questions--posted below the four paragraphs: To get the full text of Abrams' interview, goto usia.gov and search for "DECEMBER 17, 1998 - Transcript of video conference" The URL for the EUY2K forum is: greenspun.com --Roleigh United States Information Agency Title: TRANSCRIPT: ABRAMS CITES INDUSTRY-GOVERNMENT Y2K COOPERATION (Industry to help other groups become Y2K ready) Date: 19981223 ...She said that after the assessments and contingency plans are developed over the next few months, an effort "unprecedented in scope" will begin to look at the whole United States to find out what companies or organizations are at highest risk. "We are really asking industry to do something that I don't know if the government has ever asked them to do, which is to work with us to identify people within their industries who have very important skills that could be brought to bear at other organizations who are in trouble, or at other states, or potentially in other countries," Abrams said. "So we are going to be calling upon these industry leaders to help provide part of their skilled work force to be available to help others in need," she added. Abrams also said chief executive officers of major corporations representing the key industry sectors will be part of a panel that will organize mitigation teams to help critical organizations, companies and service providers become Y2K ready. ... ------------------------------------- Bonnie's comments on the EUY2K forum: ------------------------------------- \|From: bboard@greenspun.com \|Subject: Response to Re-post on "Abrams Report" \|Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1998 20:37:22 GMT \|Message-Id: <368be11f259e001@mhub3.tc.umn.edu> Now, if we keep in mind the government propensity to downplay potential Year 2000 problems, and watch carefully the words used to describe their efforts in addressing these "small disruptions", we discover some BIG contradictions. These "small disruptions" are being planned for by "an effort unprecedented in scope" and they are "asking industry to do something that I don't know if the government has ever asked them to do.." Any readers should be asking themselves why "small disruptions" need this unprecedented in scope response - not to mention why the government considers it necessary to ask major corporations to help them form what amounts to technical swat teams.. The second mention of these mitigation teams is further down the report: "We're calling it the Senior Advisors Group to the President's Council on Y2K.. And we will have chief executive officers of major corporations representing each of the key industries on a panel. They will meet every six to eight weeks. And one of their responsibilities with our council will be to consider how best to pull together teams that can go out and do mitigation work if we find out there's an absolutely critical resource or entity, a company, a service provider that has too be ready, and we find out they're not ready. Maybe in advance of 2000,, they'll go out."" It's my opinion that anyone who carefully questions the contradictions Meg and I have both found in this report, will come to the conclusion that our government is not as confident as they try to appear about the ability of critical infrastructure components to be "Y2K Ready" in time, nor are they planning for "small disruptions".. I win a bet with my husband because of Ms. Abrams' report. Last year he said he would not be surprised to see a "computer professionals draft". I responded that I didn't think there would be a draft when all the government would have to do is ask major businesses to "volunteer" some of their people "for the good of the country". (Who could turn them down and not appear unpatriotic?) It would appear that's exactly what is in the works. Finally, the phrase "unprecedented in scope" which Ms. Abrams uses to describe the government efforts only makes sense if the basic premise is that the Year 2000 problem is "unprecedented in scope" also. This in itself rather puts paid to any "little bump in the road" position. And the plan to form (conscript, borrow, whatever word you want to use) "mitigation teams" from the corporate workforce certainly makes it sound like a Y2K War, not a little inconvenience. I personally would suggest that any high-level experienced programmers/embedded engineers, etc. in the corporate work force make sure they have preparations for their family's safety in place since from Ms. Abrams' statements, they may be out traveling with a government mitigation team during and after the rollover. This is getting very serious, folks. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roleigh Martin ourworld.compuserve.com ( easy to remember alias is: webalias.com ) (A Web Site that focuses on Y2k threat to Utilities, Banks & more) To subscribe to free e-letter, fill in the form at the bottom of the page: