Uncle Sam Wants You For Y2K By John Moore & Ben Elgin

Will there be a programmer draft to fight the Millennium Bug?

The federal government is in dire need of technical resources to fix the Year 2000 problemso dire, in fact that there is speculation about a possible draft of Cobol programmers.

The problem stems largely from Uncle Sams own policies, which discourage integrators from doing business with the government. As a result, federal agencies, by most accounts, are severely lagging in their effort to eliminate the Y2K problem.

Even as the government marshals what resources it can, theres a growing sense that its already too late. ========================

I wonder if Bombay Ed will volunteer for the draft or he is a draft dodger like Clinton?

-- Reg Smith (rrr@ibm.net), May 31, 1998

Answers

Would it happen? Who knows. Should it? No. Why? Let me use one of my favorite quotes that, BTW, I have never seen a counter-example for:

"Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later." -- Brooks' Law Frederick P. Brooks, Jr. in his book "The Mythical Man Month"

-- Paul Neuhardt (neuhardt@ultranet.com), June 02, 1998.

Did not the Germans and Russians demonstrate that conscripting "mind" workers was not very fruitful?

"But, boss, I'm thinking as fast as I can! Please don't shoot."

Blam!

Now the malingerer will do zero work instead of damn little.

George

-- George Valentine (GeorgeValentine@usa.net), June 02, 1998.

George has a point. Programmers are intelligent, educated, creative, and independent. Even if someone did point a gun to their heads and tell them to program, the person holding the gun wouldn't know if the programmer was fixing the Y2K problem - or writing a virus.

-- Melinda Gierisch (gieriscm@hotmail.com), June 03, 1998.

Suppose that the FAA air traffic control system isn't working on 1/1/00. Isn't it possible that the gov't would "draft" the entire programming departments of the big aerospace companies to work on the air traffic control system, until it is up and running? And wouldn't the aerospace companies be more than happy to comply, because no airline will accept another airplane delivery, new engive delivery, etc. until the air traffic control system is fixed? And wouldn't the programmers go along, and do the job right, because their jobs and futures are at stake? >>>>>>>>><<<<<<

-- Dan Hunt (dhunt@hostscorp.com), June 03, 1998.

It was asked:

"Suppose that the FAA air traffic control system isn't working on 1/1/00. Isn't it possible that the gov't would "draft" the entire programming departments of the big aerospace companies to work on the air traffic control system, until it is up and running?"

I doubt if they could. These programmers, if they are still in those positions, as many will be the "fall-guys" for the Y2k failure and they will be looking for some place safe to hide. The others will be rather tired from the 24-7 work routine of the previous months. The few that are left, probably won't know where to start, as the whole system will be affected. "And wouldn't the aerospace companies be more than happy to comply, because no airline will accept another airplane delivery, new engine delivery, etc. until the air traffic control system is fixed?"

There will be so many suppliers that will be affected that it will be nearly impossible for the necessary products and services to be available to comply with the safty regulation requirements of the FAA.

"And wouldn't the programmers go along, and do the job right, because their jobs and futures are at stake?"

What jobs. If the Banks fail, no one gets a paycheck. Perhaps, if there is a way to pay them and they haven't decided to leave the city to protect their families.

-- Dave Jones (dfj@fea.net), June 03, 1998.