Re: Y2K Skepticism

mark@unicorn.com
Thu, 9 Apr 1998 11:01:43 -0700 (PDT)


Harvey Newstrom [harv@gate.net] wrote:
>This is false for some brands. My VCR is set to record daily programs
>Monday through Friday. When I try to put in the year "00" (it only
>allows two spaces), it says year 1900 and then records the wrong
>programs on the wrong day of the week.

The workaround, AFAIR, is to reset the year to 1972, if that's possible.
This little piece of information should be much more widely distributed
as a temporary quick fix to get people going again when they hit these
problems (dates in 1972 are on the same days of the week as 2000).

Otherwise I agree that journalists don't seem to know what they're talking
about (e.g. the CNET claims that people are saying that planes will fall
out of the sky, rather than that the air traffic control systems will be
hosed). I noticed a few other problems with that article, and an amusing
quote talking about electrical distribution shutting down if it overloads;
as though automatic shutdown is an advantage, not part of the problem.

BTW, to respond to someone else's comments about panic-induced crashes,
it's really a prisoner's dilemna; it no-one panics we should all win, if
the others panic and you don't, you probably lose.

(I have a four day break starting in a few minutes, so don't expect any
more replies 'til Tuesday).

Mark