What do you think will happen as a result of Y2K bug problems?

The prophets of doom say that our computer systems will fail, our water supply will be unreliable, our electricity will be non existent and chaos will rule. Strange to think these are the same sort of prophecies of 1000 years ago. Only the bug was of a biological not technological nature.

Realistically, I think that there may be some glitches that result in annoyance and inconvenience. However, I have taken out my extra cash from the ATM, bottled up some water of a week or two of problems, made sure I have warm clothing, and non-perishable food stuffs.

However, I have not built a bunker (like some) and stock piled it with arms. I'd like to think that in a crisis we will all ultimately pull together rather than seek out destroying others. then again I've been to rock concerts and the mall during Christmas shopping and should know better.

Felicia, 33
Somerville, MA

Nothing. Nothing except for some really scared people in Kansas or Montana hiding out in their basements, stocked with guns, ammo and rations, waiting... Others will just wake up on January 1 and casually find their way to the TV. Tom Brokaw will reassure them that all is fine out there (we should, however, still be cautious of terrorists).

Don
Medford, MA

hmmm, If I were a good person I'd research this carefully and find the facts.

Base on what I've heard on the radio lately, my guess is that 01/01/2000 is not a magical trigger for Y2K problems, the worst of the y2K problems have already past and that for as long as it is the custom to write dates as six digits we will always have some minor problems. A couple months ago the Maine DMV was issuing year 2000 expiring registration documents for "horseless carriages." For a short time credit cards that expired on or after 01/01/2000 weren't accepted everywhere. People haven't waited until the new year to write twenty first century dates. There have been minor problems for the past few years. The number of similar minor problems will probably trail off for the next few years.

My few month old credit card expires "10/01" and it has worked every place I've tried it. I suppose if I get audited in 2100 there may be some confusion. The inherent problem isn't the storage of 6 digit dates, but the formatting of dates as 6 digits. I just fired up Microsoft Excel 2000 (soon to go the way of VisiCalc) I entered a date as "01/20/00" my grandmother's birthday (may she rest in peace) Excel displayed the result as "1/20/2000" --A reasonable but wrong guess.

I expect we'll either get in the habit of using 8 digit dates or we'll get used to reasonable defaults.

Dan
Lowell, MA

I seriously doubt there will be many signifigant long-lasting Y2K problems. .

mothmc, 35
Pensacola, FL

I"m barely computer literate. I have an uneasy notion that Russia and China may be a little lax in re-programming--or they may not. Personally, I don't expect more than minor inconvenience and I don' t think that minor inconvenience is terribly likely.

Jill, 59
Saylorsburg, PA

Goodmorning my Dear,

Certainly you can use my little story in your project. So many have told me I should write a book but I do think of it and then it passes from my mind. History in a way repeated itself. When my Dad met my mother in London on a few days leave from the Navy. (He was an Officer on submarines.) It was love at first sight but her parents would not allow her to marry this man who would take her away to America if she married him. At that time she was only 17yrs old. Well, WW 1 ended and he went back to London and they got married. Dad was still in the Navy so had to return to the USA with subs and leave his bride behind. Mama had to travel to America on a BRIDE SHIP and Dad met her in New York when she came down the gangplank. I always thought that was so romantic. Maybe I have already told you this story. The company is closed for the day so John is out golfing. Have him on a different antibiotic. Take 2 capsules first day and then only one each for the next five days. They are very powerful. Daughter Gweny is also on them but she didn't know she had walking pneumonia until she went to the doctor and had chest x-rays.

Heard there is another very naughty virus that comes as a greeting and we are advised not to use puters on Christmas Day. That is the report we have gotten in Florida. In my first story I spelled due as do. Shame on me but shame on my spell corrector.

Since going to 5.0 before AOL sends my mail they check my spelling even if I do not request it.

Have a nice Christmas

Fondly
Gwen