Submitted for your consideration:

Just read Ed Yourdon's responce on this threadWhat Now?. It raises a very good point, that if you call something Y2K related, it provokes an immediate knee-jerk responce. It's probably belaboring the obvious, but in case you've been vacationing on Neptune since rollover, the responces are: Polly - It's not Y2k related. Glitches occur all the time. Besides, Y2K died as a serious issue, once rollover ocured. Doomer - Everything from computer glitches, to the transmission failing on my car IS Y2K related. It's all a part of the thousand cuts. (One thing that I certainly must admit that I was wrong in thinking, was that the arguments would get less polarized, after rollover, instead of more.) There's no real discussion taking place, since both sides "know" what the the nature of the problem is, before the cyber ink dries on the cyber paper.

So in order to de-polarize the arguments, and return to something resembling a rational discussion, I make the modest proposal that we change the name from Y2K, to FRED.

What does FRED mean? Absolutely nothing. That's the beauty of it. We have to DISCUSS what FRED means, everytime some brings up a FRED-related problem. FRED could mean a CDC problem, or FRED could mean someone spilled coffee on their keyboard. And yes, Fred could even mean a squirrel chewed thru a power line. FRED is innocuous and carries no baggage. You could play around with the letters and come up with an acronym, but since I, the creator, imbued FRED with no real meaning, every supposition would be equally right (or wrong).

Calling something FRED related would reveal nothing about your previous Y2K position. This would make knee-jerk responses pretty risky, since you wouldn't know if you're flaming a doomer or a polly. You would (gasp) actually have to read and consider the meaning, instead of flipping on the auto-pilot attack mode.

Questions? Comments? Know of any FRED related problems?

-- Bokonon (bok0non@my-Deja.com), January 09, 2000

Answers

We must be thinking along the same lines...I'm with you...the name y2k has got to go! Here what I wrote in a post yesterday:

Y2K needs a new name! The term "Y2K" has got to go. Here's why...

Companies can't own up to Y2K glitches due to lawsuits and such; the media is in the middle, because without advertising--they're sunk; and the general public thinks it was over when the power stayed up on NYE. So, I have noticed that computer incidents occurring recently are under debate--Y2K or not Y2K--that is the question.

This could all be solved by ditching the term Y2K and calling it CRIME-Computer Related Incidents and Mysterious Errors. (Formerly Y2K...kind of like the artist formerly known as...well, you know).

This would get the support of the general public...people don't like the CRIME rate to be high. And since the word has another meaning...it would be like getting a little extra publicity for computer related glitches.

The trail blazers could clear their names because they would no longer be fighting Y2K...they would be fighting CRIME, and that could potentially change their status.

The Doomers and Polly's would both have to agree because it wasn't Y2K...it was a CRIME.

As for the Lurkers and Polloomers, it really wouldn't matter too much.

TimeBomb 2000 could still keep their name, although they could always start a sister board called CRIME Stoppers...they could say things like, "Let's take a BYTE out of CRIME" See? Kind of catchy...

Well, there you have it...Y2K solved...the magic bullet after all. =)

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), January 09, 2000.

I have a DERF problem but I've been a little hesitant to mention it. I'm still running on compuserve 4.0 and have refused to upgrade to latest version as there are always so many FRED problems with their new software. Anywho, everytime I try to open 6 or more windows in Compusucks cheapy software, it crashes.

I really shouldn't have brought it up, but I'm sorta looking for an easier way to cure this DFER problem than just doing what the latest update says.

-- Cary Mc from Tx (Caretha@compuserve.com), January 09, 2000.

PS. Oh, I noticed how you referred to your idea as a modest proposal, but I think mine is more like an "indecent proposal". LOL =)

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), January 09, 2000.

FRED? DERF? CRIME?

Not bad, but how about Computer Related After-Y2K Problems? (CRAP)

Simple, easy to remember, and the Pollies and Trolls could be the CRAP-Scoopers.

-- Beached Whale (beached_whale@hotmail.com), January 09, 2000.

<> Excerpt from "The Fur Hat" by Vladimir Voinovich.

Has 'It is not y2k-related' become Lukin's standard phrase?

-- Michael Gell (mgell@tesco.net), January 09, 2000.

I'll second the CRAP handle. Everyone knows "CRAP" happens. We can then stop using the term "s**t". It's harder to type anyway. Don't you just hate those SHIFT keys.

-- I'Dont (giva@crap.com), January 09, 2000.

I'll try again!

His duties consisted of drafting and processing government forms. In these forms he always adhered to the truth, but sometimes distorted it beyond all recognition. He could construe any statement or act or gesture as an attempt to undermine the foundations of our regime, and could build up such a damning case that one felt that all that remained was to pass sentence. Or he could use the exact same facts to recommend someone for a medal or to register him in a housing cooperative. The writers appreciated Lukin because despite his skill with forms, he did not try to be a writer himself. But he could have been, because in the genre of forms he knew no equal, in fact the man was practically a genius. Excerpt from "The Fur Hat" by Vladimir Voinovich.

-- Michael Gell (mgell@tesco.net), January 09, 2000.

FECK, ARSE, DRINK, GIRLS

-- Fr Jack Hackett (thatwouldbe@ecumenical.matter), January 09, 2000.

CRAP! FRED, quick! CRIME is spreading! DFER your resources immediately!

-- works for us :-) (allaha@earthlink.net), January 09, 2000.

CRAP is succinct. Gets my vote.

-- Lurkess (Lurkess@Lurking.Net), January 09, 2000.

How about the term "GLITCH RELATIONSHIPS"?All sorts of possibilities pop into mind with a title such as that. Was the glitch sex motivated, or a result of Y2K? Was it a spiritual relationship, or a simple misunderstanding of the Yourdon and North scriptures? The sins of ommission and the sin of commission, Pollies and Doomers. A world of possibilities at our fingertips, just waiting to burst forth. I am up and down with excitment, no its the laxative beginning to kick in, sorry. Gotta go, be back soon.

-- Notforlong (Fsur439@aol.com), January 09, 2000.

How about SUCK?

Strange, Underreported, Concrete Knowledge.

To refer to all the information that is not making it into the mainstream media, may or may not be Y2K related, and has been verified as factual data.

Besides, I'll take some SUCK over some CRAP any day...

And we can always say, "This CRAP SUCKs!"

Peace, Y'all!

Don

-- Shimoda (enlighten@me.com), January 09, 2000.

I'm not sure if a new name would affect the polarization, which actually has much more to do with personalities than it ever had to do with y2k. We'd just find new ways to insult one another, ie;

You are so full of CRAP
You don't give a CRAP
That's a bunch of CRAP
What a CRAP shooter you are

Still, it would be a nice change...change is good.

-- (RUOK@yesiam.com), January 09, 2000.

Please affix to all systems

F-ailed

R-emediation

E-mitting

D-iode

Unless FUBAR state has already been achieved!

-----the management

-- mikey-McGiverII (mrfixit@ULC.com), January 09, 2000.

Dee,

Now I can give credit where credit is due (or is that FREDit?). Mabes said she saw a post with a similar idea, from yesterday, but couldn't remember who the poster was, or what the thread was called.

Yes, the idea was based upon a previous post, and Dee appears to be the one who gets the credit ;-)

-- Bokonon (bok0non@my-Deja.com), January 09, 2000.

Ahhhhhh...geez Bok, now I'm sitting here blushing.

But I do agree with your post. The y2k issue needs a facelift, whether it's FRED, CRIME, CRAP, etc. we're all on the same wave length.

I don't know, maybe we're all just a bunch of SAPs (Silly Ass Post'rs), but acronyms are envogue dahhhhling...I should know, I married a military man and when I did I entered acronym hell. But, I like FRED--shhhhh...don't tell my hubby. =)

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), January 09, 2000.

"Data Flow Challenged?"

"Differently Dataed?"

-- Firemouse (firemouse@fcmail.com), January 09, 2000.

How about FECES. More acceptable than CRAP.

Could stand for:

Freaked - Out

Evangellical

Conspiracy Nuts &

Extreme

Survivalists

FECES

-- DAVID (tdavidc@arn.net), January 09, 2000.

Gary North could even start his own movement:

Nutcase, +

Opportunist, +

Reconstructionist

Theology =

Hysterics

NORTH

-- DAVID (tdavidc@arn.net), January 09, 2000.

Bok -- this is pretty funny, because I've been theorizing to my offline friends over the past year that there is ONE guy, named FRED (of course), somewhere in the world, who knew/knows what Y2K impacts will be. Everyone else is merely quoting/misquoting Fred without knowing it.

Now, if we only knew where FRED is working ....

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), January 09, 2000.

How about

Dumb

Anus

Vomiting

Idiot

Dribble

-- justwondering (justwondering@giveitabreak.com), January 09, 2000.

On behalf of all Freds on the planet...give the poor sods a break!

Sincerely, Mr. Mertz

-- Ethel (Mertz@NY.com), January 09, 2000.

Ya know, I think Dee is dangerous.

First she's out there pollooming. Then she's out there fighting CRIME. Instigating, I tell ya. Planting FRED notions in an otherwise sensible BOK head.

That girl is going to scramble up all our familiar TB2000 adversarial contours. And they've been so RELIABLE!

This is the height of heresy, I say.

-- (resolved@this.point), January 09, 2000.

Or even better!

Justify

Unseen

Scenarios

Theorized

Without

Objectivity

No

Discernible

Evidence

Reveals

Idiot

North

Got it right!

JUST WONDERING

-- DAVID (tdavidc@arn.net), January 09, 2000.

Dear David;

Oh, CRAP.

KISS = Keep It Simple, Stupid (big grin)

-- Beached Whale (beached_whale@hotmail.com), January 09, 2000.