Interesting People mailing list archives

IP: Re Two Y2K bugs


From: Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>
Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1999 05:53:52 -0500



From: Russell Nelson <nelson () crynwr com>
Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1999 00:21:47 -0500 (EST)
To: farber () cis upenn edu
CC: John Wharton <jwharton () netcom com>


Dave Farber writes:
 > >From: John Wharton <jwharton () netcom com>

 > >On the other hand, it /does/ seem the problem will be terribly 
short-lived,
 > >affecting maybe five or ten minutes' worth of calls -- ever.  After 
12:10am
 > >or so, then, and for the remainder of the next century, the original call
 > >prioritization algorithms should continue to work just fine.

This is a prime example of the "other" Y2K bug.  Whenever someone asks
me about the potential effects of the Y2K bug, I always ask them
"which one?"  Of course they are confused, so I explain that one of
the bugs refers to software that does not work in the Y2K, and the
other refers to software that does not handle the transition to Y2K.

Many people are planning to handle the transition problem by ceasing
operations during the transition period.  This is, as John suggests,
probably the appropriate way to handle it.  But it also doesn't work
too well for emergency services.

--
-russ nelson <sig () russnelson com>  http://russnelson.com
Crynwr sells support for free software  | PGPok | "Ask not what your country
521 Pleasant Valley Rd. | +1 315 268 1925 voice | can force other people to
Potsdam, NY 13676-3213  | +1 315 268 9201 FAX   | do for you..."  -Perry M.


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A Happy Holiday and a safe New Year

from Dave and GG Farber

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