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

To: Ken who wrote (5091)	3/27/1999 10:46:00 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Respond to of 9818

Ken, Number #10 should be placed as #1. We as people can do far more damage to our economy than ANYTHING Y2K can accomplish. Also, if you look at oil and gas as #1, it is funny that they place embedded systems as #9. There is a distinct conflict in this since, if we're reading the information correctly, embedded systems lie at the heart of the major concerns of the petroleum industry. Defense weapon failures only affect us if we find ourselves being invaded or missiles being launched against us. But then again, it is assumed that any sophisticated weaponry possessed by our potential enemies will have some of the same problems as our systems. And Congressman Horn has been an outspoken watchdog on Y2K and a major political force in "motivating" gov't leaders and agency heads to pay sufficient attention to the issue. Now I can tell you that a close source who is doing IV&V work for US Customs is quite satisfied that they will be ready and that they systems are "Y2K ready". Given the fact that many ubitquitous systems Customs uses are used by other gov't agencies, I have the sense that the vulnerabilities will lie in application specific and modified COTS software, and not so much in items like phone system equipment.. etc, etc. (minus a failure by telecoms to hold up their end of the bargain) Most of all... bear in mind that Congressman Horn, god bless his heart for what he has already done to raise awareness, is still a politician. And the clear fact that the present administration has taken such a low-key stance, and shown almost something tantamount to political indifference to Y2K, there is much political "hay" that can be made of this lack of open concern. Politicians, like Y2K consultants, have an agenda as well, and sometimes the truth can be strethched to make a point, even if the facts don't quite bear that truth out. The fact that embedded systems and the petroleum industry are not at the same level of priority tends to bear that out. But also, the fact that utilities are placed below defense and air traffic control, neither of which will function to their requirements should the grid shut down, bears this out. Regards, Ron