Y2K: A Turning Point

Boogie Pensacola Y2K Coverage

BY KEN GAILLOT

"Oh, no!" you say. "Not another Y2K story!"

Yes, but this one's different. I'm not predicting the end of the world, and I'm not predicting that January 1 will be just another day. The answer lies in the middle.

The series of Y2K articles in this issue is based on:

The 100-Day Report of the U.S. Senate's Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem;
The Report of the Naval War College's Year 2000 International Security Dimension Project;
Resources for computer professionals working on the Y2K bug; and,
Media reports from around the globe.

Official sources are online, on the Internet. If something here surprises you, you don't have to take our word for it. Boogie Pensacola's web site has the complete text of this issue's stories, as well as links to government and industry information, and a summary of Y2K news since this issue was written.

How bad is it? Read these articles for details, but basically, it's bad, but it's not the end of the world. We will see widespread computer problems, many of which will affect your daily life, and we will see violence. However, the next morning we'll still have electricity, the sun will still rise, and you'll still have to drag your hungover ass into work Monday.

There are some simple steps you should take to prepare, and we list those, too.

Once you've made your preparations, enjoy your New Year's Eve. No matter what the news is from the rest of the world, it's still a time to celebrate. Many restaurants and bars have planned big parties. This means that those who do go out will get the fuddy-duddies' champagne. If there is bad news, it will be much more pleasant after a few glasses of bubbly anyway. So go out and enjoy yourself.

Enjoy your holiday. If you have comments or news, drop us a line. If you have Internet access, see our web site, www.BoogieOnline.com, for extensive Y2K information including sources for the facts and quotes in this issue's articles.