Posted by
Mekhong Kurt, Bangkok on October 13, 2009:
Here it is October 13, 2009, with a new, mini-version of the debate looming in 2010. I have a friend here in Thailand who *still* will argue with great passion against your stand, and it occurs to me to send the link to this page to him.
Except I'm not THAT evil! ;-)
Posted by
Ernest, Junee, Australia on February 15, 2011:
Over the years since the mid 1990s I've been involved in many a discussion on this subject due to it's effect on the IT industry in which I worked at the time. Many of us pointed out that the Y2K bug that worried people was all hype and that went on to discussion of the end of the century and the millennium. I eventually found a way to make my point that was very succinct, it went this way.
All through the century just finished it was universally known as the Twentieth Century, and no one argued that as they all agreed. That being the case, the century can only end on the last day, that is the 31st of December, of the year that has 20 at the front of it, thus 31 December 2000 is the last day of the twentieth century. It was amazing how many would argue all the other ways of putting this but found this presentation acceptable and finally agreed.
Back to your comment the 1900s was a way of presenting the years starting with 19, but the century just ended in the discussion was not the 19th. Many people confuse the year and the century issue, so do be too upset with them - heck, there's a good reason why screw top lids with obvious indentations in the sides come with the note on them "Turn the lid to open."
Posted by
Neil, Cape Paterson, Australia on October 28, 2011:
Reading the 'End of the World' blog and noted references to Y2K. There's a reason why the date passed with barely a ripple! Three years of very hard work by myself and a lot more like me in the IT industry; days, nights and weekends. Reading code, modifying and testing... testing....
At Telstra (Australia) we had one system which was down for several hours on THE DAY due to the Y2K problem, but the clients never even knew. Processing problems are routine, you fix them and continue on. The only other problem was a failed truck battery which had to be replaced! I get thoroughly browned off by people saying or implying it was all a big con job. Not in my neck of the woods, it wasn't.
---
I know it wasn't a con job, but there were plenty of cons out there taking advantage of the situation, and hysterical doomsday wackjobs vying for media attention. -rc
Why oh Why2K? - Comments
Posted by Mekhong Kurt, Bangkok on October 13, 2009:
Here it is October 13, 2009, with a new, mini-version of the debate looming in 2010. I have a friend here in Thailand who *still* will argue with great passion against your stand, and it occurs to me to send the link to this page to him.
Except I'm not THAT evil! ;-)
Posted by Ernest, Junee, Australia on February 15, 2011:
Over the years since the mid 1990s I've been involved in many a discussion on this subject due to it's effect on the IT industry in which I worked at the time. Many of us pointed out that the Y2K bug that worried people was all hype and that went on to discussion of the end of the century and the millennium. I eventually found a way to make my point that was very succinct, it went this way.
All through the century just finished it was universally known as the Twentieth Century, and no one argued that as they all agreed. That being the case, the century can only end on the last day, that is the 31st of December, of the year that has 20 at the front of it, thus 31 December 2000 is the last day of the twentieth century. It was amazing how many would argue all the other ways of putting this but found this presentation acceptable and finally agreed.
Back to your comment the 1900s was a way of presenting the years starting with 19, but the century just ended in the discussion was not the 19th. Many people confuse the year and the century issue, so do be too upset with them - heck, there's a good reason why screw top lids with obvious indentations in the sides come with the note on them "Turn the lid to open."
Posted by Neil, Cape Paterson, Australia on October 28, 2011:
Reading the 'End of the World' blog and noted references to Y2K. There's a reason why the date passed with barely a ripple! Three years of very hard work by myself and a lot more like me in the IT industry; days, nights and weekends. Reading code, modifying and testing... testing....
At Telstra (Australia) we had one system which was down for several hours on THE DAY due to the Y2K problem, but the clients never even knew. Processing problems are routine, you fix them and continue on. The only other problem was a failed truck battery which had to be replaced! I get thoroughly browned off by people saying or implying it was all a big con job. Not in my neck of the woods, it wasn't.
---
I know it wasn't a con job, but there were plenty of cons out there taking advantage of the situation, and hysterical doomsday wackjobs vying for media attention. -rc
Read the article that everyone's commenting on, or post a comment about it.