To: richard wilson who wrote (9451 ) 1/17/1999 11:33:00 PM From: Andrew Vance Respond to of 10786
I do not really frequent this thread but read it occasionally. I am a somewhat disappointed investor but will neither trash or positively comment. however, I was sent this CNET press re;ease and thought it would make a nice addendum to some of the news releases I have seen on the Y2K bug. China orders airline bosses to fly on Y2K eve By Reuters Special to CNET News.com January 15, 1999, 12:30 p.m. PT China, as an ultimate incentive to solve the millennium bug computer problem, has ordered its airline executives to take a flight on January 1, 2000, according to reports. "All the heads of the airlines have got to be in the air on January 1, 2000,'' the Financial Times quoted Zhao Bo, in charge of dealing with the problem at the Chinese ministry of information industries, as saying. The ministry directive coincides with a push by Beijing to minimize the risk of chaos if computer systems and electronics fail to recognize the date change from December 31, 1999 to January 1, 2000. The millennium bug or Year 2000 problem refers to the fact that many computers and embedded chips calculate time by only using the last two digits of a year. As a result, computers may read 2000 as 1900 or simply 00. Unless rectified, the problem could cause computers to crash or miscalculate. The danger to aircraft safety from the millennium bug has reportedly made some airlines consider whether they should ground all flights late on December 31. The Financial Times said a special problem in China is the amount of pirated software. Technicians cannot consult the manufacturers and must themselves work out how to defuse the bug. The Chinese order follows a decision by Jane Garvey, head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, to fly across America on New Year's eve to demonstrate the safety of U.S. systems.