http://www.tmn.com/~frautsch/y2k25.html

What, in 25 words or less, is the Year-2000 problem or challenge or symptom, Y2k?

"An unpredictable, worldwide threat to complex, interrelated economic, social and technological networks dependent on digital systems that fail to process dates according to unenforced standards."

- Mark Frautschi 26 July 1999 Shakespeare & Tao Consulting http://www.tmn.com/y2k/

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A world-wide, multiple, parallel, simultaneous, systemic breakdown of computer-moderated infrastructure, industry and governmental and social systems; and the sociological reaction and response thereto. --- Hallyx

"We've arranged a global civilization in which the most crucial elements...profoundly depend on science and technology. We have also arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. This is a prescription for disaster." ---Carl Sagan, 1996

-- (Hallyx@aol.com), August 03, 1999

Answers

ALL the God damn computers are down this time! Call the computer guy. The God damn phones don't work! We're screwed!

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), August 03, 1999.

The computer problem arising from the use of six digit date fields that causes some computers to recognize the Year 2000 as 1900. THAT'S ALL!!

-- (doomers@every. damn one of you), August 03, 1999.

The computer problem arising from the use of six digit date fields that may cause cancellation of the next Super Bowl! WAAAAA!

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), August 03, 1999.

"The computer problem arising from the use of six digit date fields that causes some computers to recognize the Year 2000 as 1900. THAT'S ALL!!"

Yea, that's all. Only some of the 50,000 IBM mainframes. Only some of the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of other "big iron" class and mid-range computers. Only some of the HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of the PC class machines. Only some of the BILLIONS of embedded systems.

Only some of the computers that control power plants. Only some of the machines that control refineries. Only some of the computers that control virtually every mode of large scale transportation. Only some of the computers that are critical to businesses.

Yea, that's all. No problem. Go back to sleep. <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), August 03, 1999.

Sysman:

Whew! I'm glad you got THAT straightened out. I feel MUCH better knowing we have only those few things to worry about. *sigh*

My wife still thinks I'm over doing things, but she is a sweet lady. She'd rather "humor" me than fight about it. I'm still spending a lot less than on a big screen TV and fancy stereo system. We can eat it next year, also.

And the rabbits, pigs, puppy and goats are really cute........

-- Jon Williamson (jwilliamson003@sprintmail.com), August 03, 1999.

An event unparrelled in humankind, presenting both an incredible potential for societal crises, as well as a fleeting opportunity to rise above a greed-based value system and once again evolve as a civilization.

I know, I know, more than 25 words. I do tend to ramble.

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), August 03, 1999.

Every addict addicted to whatever will be in withdrawal all at the same time.

-- Carol (glear@usa.net), August 03, 1999.

If you understand what they mean, you need only nine:

The End of the World AS WE KNOW IT

-- (The@Real.Deal), August 03, 1999.

Yeah but, asshead, the world as WE KNOW IT isn't the same to me and you. But then again your incapable of understanding anything other than what the Y2K High Priest YourToasty tells you.

-- (hmm?@you.dumbass), August 03, 1999.

NEMESIS

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), August 03, 1999.

hmm, you have the typical POLLY mentality. We just blindly follow what Ed Yourdon says. We don't have minds of our own. Yeah, right.

-- You're Dumb (youredumb@hopeless.com), August 03, 1999.

A technical problem endangering all electronic information systems used to sustain life, enable productive labor and support social cooperation.

-- ..- (dit@dot.dash), August 03, 1999.

Our first species-wide, global intelligence test.

The very fact that anyone has any questions about is shows that we failed...

-- Jon Williamson (jwilliamson003@sprintmail.com), August 03, 1999.

An eRRor iN cOmPUteR dATe FIeLDS leAdiNG TO aN aLL oUt FLAme WaR beTWEEn tHosE WHo acKNOWleDge tHe DOWnSidE RiSKS, aNd tHOsE whO dON't!!!!!!! INfidELs!!!!!!!

-- Dieter (questions@toask.com), August 03, 1999.

DiETEr honey! How I missed your deadpan wisdom! I'm such a naughty iNfIDEl to have left this forum, will you ever forgive me?

I agree completely with you on this. We're doomed I tell you, doomed! Only because it is so obvious that human infidels as a group take so long to agree on anything, not even when our species is potentialy at risk to disapear, or at least our way of living (wether the odds of this are insignificant or not doesn't matter, facts remains that SOME odds are there.)

I can't define Y2K in 25 words or less for idiots. Wasted time. They can't get it with a book (Y2K for Dummies?), they certainly wouldn't get it in 25 words.

-- Chris (%$^&^@pond.com), August 03, 1999.

nEIn!!!!!

-- Dieter (questions@toask.com), August 03, 1999.

"But then again your incapable of understanding anything other than what the Y2K High Priest YourToasty tells you."

Listen genius,

I didn't know who Ed Yourdon was 'til I found this forum. Didn't know he had a home page. Didn't know he had a book for sale. I did however, see a few of his articles in Computer World. I didn't know who the author was.

Ed has been programming for 35 years, and I have been doing so for 31. Ed is just another programmer to me, nothing more, nothing less. The only other thing that we have in common, as far as I know, is our concern for Y2K.

So, blow it out your... <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), August 03, 1999.

PS - And hi DiETer, nice to see you back! <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), August 03, 1999.

How about this one:

"The things that keep us alive have a time bomb in them. That bomb will explode at the end of 1999. Many people will die."

If they need longer, refer them to Hyatt's, Gregori's, Yourdon's, and Sorokin's books, to say nothing of GN's site.

my site: www.y2ksafeminnesota.com

-- Minnesotasmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), August 04, 1999.

mohawked ex-yuppies will steal your food,eat your dog,and rape your ass for not trying harder to convince them that y2k was a real threat.

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 09, 1999.

Sporadic-but-profound computer errors plus a precipitous drop in public confidence triggers collapse in global trade and finance, with negative ramifications lingering a generation.

-- coprolith (coprolith@rocketship.com), August 09, 1999.

>What, in 25 words or less, is the Year-2000 problem or challenge or symptom, Y2k?<

The Year-2000 problem

Society has become completely reliant on a system which was not fully beta tested. Having no backup system, we MUST have total faith in it.

Whitney (who's never said ANYTHING in 25 words or less before, patting self on back)

-- Whitney (Y2KWhit@aol.com), October 06, 1999.