JUNE MEGA Y2K QUOTES
This is the latest in a multi-part series of quotes made by "insiders" and programmers and what they thought about y2k. There will be a few more posted as well, going further back in time to gain a better perspective on how the whole situation evolved. (e.g. Mega Quotes III would go further back in time than part I. It seems they get better as we go further back into last year. That being with all the PR spin we get in 1999.)
Click here for June Mega quotes
Click here for Mega quotes I
Click here for Mega quotes II
Click here for Mega quotes III
Click here for Mega quotes IV
Click here for Mega quotes V
Click here for Mega quotes VI
"I believe that we are entering the 'end game' of Y2K, and that the outcome isn't likely to be changed significantly because of last-minute strategies, edicts, proclamations, or demands for deathmarch-style overtime on the part of programmers. About the only thing that's still an option, both for organizations and for individuals, is contingency planning and preparations for some degree of disruptions." Ed Yourdon, Author of TimeBomb 2000...05/30/1999"It is natural for man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts…. For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it." Patrick Henry, American Patriot... 05/28/1999
"We’ve known for some time that small and mid-sized companies would have difficulties in their preparations for the new millennium. But the poor progress made by so many of America’s largest companies came as quite a shock." Dr. Martin Weiss, Chairman of Weiss Ratings, Inc....05/19/1999
“[Y2K litigation] is a very, very serious issue. The potential drain on the nation’s economy and the world economy is staggering.” Senator John McCain, (R-Arizona), chief sponsor of legislation that seeks to limit litigation resulting from Y2K... 05/05/1999
"The question is not will there be disruptions, but how sever the disruptions will be." Senate Special Report on Y2K (24 February 1999)
"The testing process has proven to be more complex, time consuming and costly than many banks anticipated." Comptroller of the Currency, John Hawke Jr.... 04/19/1999
There is no national, strategic plan to assure that critical infrastructures will continue to function." Senate Special Report on Y2K (24 February 1999)... 04/16/1999
"Every truth passes through three stages before it is recognized. In the first, it is ridiculed. In the second, it is opposed. In the third, it is regarded as self-evident." Arthur Schopenhauer, German Philospher... 04/06/1999
(1788–1860) "The Department of Defense has monumental Y2K problems, and it is severely behind in addressing them. It is at risk of not completing remediation of all of its mission-critical systems in time." Senate Special Report on Y2K (24 February 1999)... 03/29/1999
"Even if the U.S. could remediate all of its systems and embedded processors in time (which it cannot), it would, in an economic sense, still be at the mercy of the rest of the world." Senate Special Report on Y2K (24 February 1999)... 03/25/1999
"Owing to past neglect, in the face of plainest warnings, we have now entered upon a period of danger. The era of procrastination, of half measures, of delays is coming to a close. In it’s place we are entering a period of consequences; we can not avoid this period, we are in it now. Unless this house resolves to find out the truth for itself, it will have committed an act of abdication of duty without parallel." Winston Churchill, Testimony to the House of Commons, Debate on National Defense Posture (12 November 1936)...03/16/1999
"On the positive side, Y2K awareness is growing. In the past year, both public and private institutions have doubled their efforts to find, evaluate, and address Y2K risk exposure. The committee has seen a significant amount of progress since its inception. However, Senate hearings, interviews, and research have not produced convincing evidence the the Y2K problem is well in hand." "Investigating the Year 2000 Problem," From a new report released Feb 1999
by the U.S. Senate... 03/09/1999
"We believe that disruptions will occur that in some cases will be significant.... Those who suggest that it [Y2K] will be nothing more than a 'bump in the road' are simply misinformed." Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem,.. 03/01/1999
"Real Y2K successes should be applauded. They should not, however, be used as smokescreens for the real Y2K situation. " Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem... 02/20/1999
"My opinion is that we're going to suffer a year of technological disruptions, followed by a decade of depression." Ed Yourdon, World-reknowned programming expert and author of Time Bomb 2000... 02/16/1999
"We need to state unequivocally that Y2K is indeed an event that has potentially massive and unpredictable economic, social, and geo-political ramifications." Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem... 02/08/1999
"One weak link anywhere in the chain of critical dependencies can cause a cascading effect of major shutdowns of business operations. Consequently, it is imperative to develop contingency plans." David Walker, Comptroller General of the United States, the nation's top federal auditor... 01/23/1999
"We are deeply concerned about the railroads. We have no indication that they are going to make it." John Koskinen, The Clinton Administration's Y2K Czar... 01/11/1999
"The level of disaster is still fundamentally our choice." Dr. Howard Rubin, Y2K expert and Professor at Hunter College New York City, NY... 01/04/1999
"We’ll…just wait until the clock rolls over to see if things work or don’t work." Dave Bufalo, Denver's Y2K Director, who says there is no way the city can repair or replace all non-compliant chips in time...12/28/1998
"When I think about an American family sitting down for a meal, I cannot help but think about the tens of thousands of people whose work went into producing that meal…. I must confess, however, that until recently I hadn’t thought very much about the connection between the food on our tables and computers." Dan Glickman, Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture... 12/22/1998
"What’s going to happen when whole countries drop off the radar screen with no infrastructure remaining?" Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem... 12/15/1998
"At this point in time, we can say with assurance there are people who aren't going to make it … we're definitely past the period of where you're going to solve the problem. We're into mitigation Michael Powell, Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)... 12/08/1998
It is essential that the President begin to address the Year 2000 issue much more frequently. President Clinton and Vice President Gore cannot continue to act as if this problem is going to solve itself. Rep. Stephen Horn (R-Calif.), Chairman of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Government, Management, Information, and Technology... 11/30/1998
"I'm truly scared about the year 2000 [problem]." Robert Stanky, Manager of the Fidelity Magellan Fund, the largest mutual fund in the United States... 11/23/1998
"We don’t even know yet what we don’t know about how Y2K will affect defense systems." Lt. Gen. Albert J. Edmonds, former director of the Defense Information... 11/09/1998
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