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

To: flatsville who wrote (4354)	3/6/1999 8:35:00 AM
From: flatsville	Respond to of 9818

Seems as though that statement re: the Panama Canal caught someone else's attention: x2.dejanews.com[ST_rn=ps]/getdoc.xp?AN=451871976&CONTEXT=920726338.1720451224&hitnum=99

To: flatsville who wrote (4354)	3/6/1999 9:27:00 AM
From: NickSE	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9818

Y2K readiness abroad is ‘mixed bag' msnbc.com Jim Woodward, a Y2K expert with Cap-Gemini America consultants, emphasized that Gap-Gemini expects a “considerable ramp-up” of Y2K failures this July, followed by another spike in October.

To: flatsville who wrote (4354)	3/6/1999 3:26:00 PM
From: John Mansfield	Respond to of 9818

<< One unidentified European country held its first Y2K preparations meeting only in January, yet it expects to host "a huge influx of tourists for millennium-related celebrations" next year; >> That can be only one country: Italy. John

To: flatsville who wrote (4354)	3/8/1999 1:40:00 PM
From: Christine Traut	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 9818

Don't know the specifics about the Panama Canal comment. But it may be an example of what I am calling the "stand down" phenomenon. In many cases, it may be safer to shut down things like the Canal (or chemical plants, or prisons) and then bring them up slowly once we are in the year 2000. It is just impossible to completely test a computer system without doing it in real life. To let critical systems roll over to the New Year may just be too much of a risk. So we may see an awful lot of things shut down in late December. And then brought back up. Slowly. Slowly. Can you hear that global economy slowing down?

To: flatsville who wrote (4354)	3/14/1999 7:56:00 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9818

For those of you who don't know what the canal does and how it does it...well, it may not mean much. Suffice it to say that it is a VERY important link in global trade. Well, there is no doubt that the Panama Canal is vital for commerce. However, since the actual canal operating mechanisms of lock flooding and gate opening still operate in the original manner, and the fact that there were no computers around when it was built, I would venture to say it is Y2K compliant. (Btw, I've been on tours through the canal several times and know for a fact that the original water control and valve system have not been significantly computerized. They have found it difficult to improve upon the original design). Now of course, scheduling ships to come through the canal may face some difficulties, but since non-computerized scheduling was the mainstay of traffic control long before the advent of computers, I think they can find a work-around. The Panama Canal is not going to shut down because of Y2K. If you don't believe me, call the Panama Canal Commission and ask them yourself why it isn't vulnerable to computer failure. Now if there is a severe drought over the next 12 months, then you have another issue. The canal uses millions of gallons of water with each ship's passing. Btw, here's a link to the Canal's Enhanced Vessel Traffic Management System (EVTMS) upgrade page where they state their new system will be fully Y2K compliant: pancanal.com The EVTMS began operating in Oct, 1998 (a year after my last visit there). Since they didn't have it before, I would suggest that they are fully capable of operating the canal at near normal tempo even without the system should it fail. Let's be logical and confirm some of the information before making such broad generalizations. (and that includes the politicians). I understand the risks of Y2K like most other folks. But I wish to separate the probable from the farcical. Regards, Ron