The effect will be significant if things progress as slowly as they have been. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) stated, in a conference I attended, that there is no official government policy on the Y2K problem. Each individual department of the government is in charge of determining what is right for them. The CIA has taken many steps to assure the safety of its employees, both at home and abroad, during the ordeal of the millenium. In researching for this article, I found that Microsoft and many other computer industries already have a Y2K program, and are strongly encouraging every business to do the same.
Some businesses do not see the importance in making themselves Y2K compliant. Some are too scared to move forward, and others are not yet educated enough about the Y2K scenario. One of the ice-breaking jokes in the CIA presentation was not just a joke, but a true story:
The Y2K division of the CIA contacted a country (undisclosed to the audience) about what they planned to do about the Millenium Bug. The country replied in a cable that there was nothing to worry about. They would see to it that their buildings get sprayed for the bug.
The audience chuckled a bit, however briefly, then grimly turned their smiles into very serious faces.
We are not alone in this problem. Every country is going to be hit, just as we will be. Most cultures are not as technologically dependent as we are, but they all have militaries, governments, record-keepers, librarians, transportation systems, etc., and everyone will feel the "sting" of the Millenium Bug.
Here at Radford, the Director of Computer Services, Ray Kirby, disclosed that there are some significant systems that will be hit by "the bug" if left untouched. The systems include the RU Express System, Financial Records, Student Records, the Library System, and Telephone Services. Kirby further explained to Whim's Life manager, Jeff Pollard, that plans to fix these bugs are already underway, if not from RU staff, then by outside contractors.
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Name: a student Comments:
God, this is scary as hell.
