Since Japan is what like 17 hours ahead of us. As well as Aussie and New Zealand. Shouldn’t we know how Y2K will affect us in the states as it will happen there first.
I am of course assuming those countries are similar to the US in technology. Maybe there are others.
Yes and no.
If there are major problems in Australia and New Zealand (certainly not the third world after all), we will know to be very concerned. On the other hand, they have NOT followed the same steps of Y2K preparedness as the U.S. since there is no global standard. Because of this, they might be horribly affected and we’ll be fine or we might be horribly affected and they’ll be fine or both or neither.
Still, if you find out that Australia’s without power and three nuclear power plants exploded, I’d head for the hills with some Campbell’s soup and Ramen Noodles if I were you.
Incidentally, Peter Jennings will be doing an all-day Y2K broadcast on ABC live in Times Square with other correspondants in other parts of the world in case “something happens” (play hominous music here).
Personally, I think the world will be okay for the most part, but don’t be surprised if your Mr. Coffee isn’t working to well come the first day of the naughty aughties.
We’ve been having Y2K preparedness meetings where I work (we aren’t expecting any problems, but we are putting procedures in place “just in case”). One of the comments that was made at our last meeting was that we would have up to 14 hours advance warning of some problems by watching what happens in Japan and Australia. (Our main vendors, Sun and HP have a lot of machines in both countries.) If they have problems we will know what to check on; if not we can relax a bit.
On the other hand, as one of the Y2K team put it, “If at noon on the 31st Tokyo is blacked out and Sydney is in flames, expect to be called in to work.”
“Drink your coffee! Remember, there are people sleeping in China.”
Dennis Matheson — dennis@mountaindiver.com
Hike, Dive, Ski, Climb — www.mountaindiver.com
I confidently predict that Gammera will kick Mothra’s ass!
Launcher may train without warning.
I work at a Coast Guard Computer facility. We are planning to be in touch with a unit in Guam at the Y2K rollover period for the reasons mentioned. If the systems there have problems . . .
“Shoplifting is a victimless crime. Like punching someone in the dark.” -Nelson Muntz.
By about 9:00 a.m. Chicago time, we’ll have a pretty good idea what we’re in for. Highly-computerized, industrialized, “westernized” countries like Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Singapore will all have entered the New Year. So will a lot of developing, third-world countries in South East Asia (remember the Asian financial crisis? A meltdown in Manila or Jakarta can pull down their “better-prepared” neighbors.) And so will some nuclear powers – China, North Korea (or so we assume), and far eastern Russia.
Of course, I think it would be kind of cool, sitting back and watching the world go dark, one time zone at a time, the darkness creeping ever closer…
As I understand it, the President’s crisis team on the Y2K problems will be carefully reviewing the situation from the moment the changeover first occurs out in the mid-Pacific.
The whole thing has been way over-hyped, as could be expected of millenium-end silliness.