OK. Here it is folks. The question that I've been afraid to ask. I work for a small electronic publishing firm in a major eastern city. We rely on the Government Printing Office for a significant percentage of our data. We then send it out to other customers via a network. So far, the leadership here (we have under 12 employees) seems to have their heads in the sand regarding y2k. All they seem to think we need to do to get ready is to buy some new desktop PCs. I think we're in for much more than that. Any thoughts? Suggestions? Is it as bad as I think?

-- libby alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), September 22, 1998

Answers

Well Libby, I work for a major electronic publishing company in a major eastern city. Anyway, it sounds like infrastructure isn't too big a problem for your company because there is not much of it. However, as middle men, you are totally dependent on your suppliers. If it were my business, I would want to be copied on weekly status reports of my data suppliers Y2K progress.

Also, try to convince your company to consider infrastructure problems other than the PCs - like HVAC controls (who will work if you can't turn on the heat?) and the phone system (you won't be in business long if you can't pick up the phone!)

It's the unprepared small businesses that could really undermine the best efforts of large corporations. Good Luck.

-- Ray Givler (dontmail@work.com), September 22, 1998.

Check your "principle supplier" (the Governemnt Printing Office).

What are they preparing to do, how will they operate, what are their contingency plans? The "government" is a BIG creature, and different little sections of it are going to prepare differently. One group may be ready even if the whole mass is will fail, as we expect.

Look for actions, not words. Look for "what if's", and "we will" statements, not mush pleasantries.

But if the whole mass is dead, what will the GPO need to print or distribute? Who will it distribute to? How? What infrastructure is required? (The same support is needed by the recevier and transmitter and sender and supplier.)

Overall, given your principle customer, your message, your media, and your supplier, I think your co-workers are going to be out of business for a while in Jan and Feb 2000.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), September 23, 1998.