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[SG]

Y2K wasn't a hoax at all. There was an awful lot of programming work done so that it wasn't a problem.

And as irrefutable proof, one of my clients complained the other day about some funny data they were receiving, and lo and behold, it was caused by a program that hadn't been changed since the 90's and the program was ignoring the century.

M'lord, I rest my case.

Well that was as catastrophic as the naysayers said.

Interesting question though - it's now, oooh, in rough terms, 2007.

What the fuck have they been doing since the start of 2000 for data??

Then again, you're probably talking about Cityrail.  Would explain much.

SG

[a passing lunatic]

was it easier to reply in that manner, or are you really keen to get to 3000 posts?

[Lord Biscuit©]

Mate, you might not have thought the Y2K problem was huge (I think the amount spent avoiding the problem was in the billions through the 90s), but wait until the next one.

That's right. When Y10K hits us we're going to be in all kinds of trouble!

[SG]

Mate, you might not have thought the Y2K problem was huge (I think the amount spent avoiding the problem was in the billions through the 90s), but wait until the next one.

That's right. When Y10K hits us we're going to be in all kinds of trouble!

10,000 yen is a problem?

Only if dropped whilst cameras are clicking atop the Eiffel tower or somesuch.

SG

[DiddlySquat]

Get the bike out you fat cunts.  Not because of global warming but for your own health.

Not that I care how healthy you are at a personal level, more that healthy people require less medical attention which ultimately costs me less in tax dollars.

It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling to know that I'm saving you some tax $

[DiddlySquat]

Interesting question though - it's now, oooh, in rough terms, 2007.

 

My how time flies

What the fuck have they been doing since the start of 2000 for data??

Then again, you're probably talking about Cityrail.  Would explain much.

Nice try, but it was a multi-national insurance company.

I guess they've been muttering under their collective breaths for the last 7 years.

Cityrail haven't yet realised that it's an old Y2K bug that's screwing their timetables.

[SG]

Nice try, but it was a multi-national insurance company.

Ah yes.  Populated by lots of legal, commerce and accounting types.

Refer to my previous posts about the benefits of a science based education, the number of times all those Masters of the Universe Bain/Boston/McKinsey types completely fuck up their data or fundamentally misinterpret is truly scary.

I guess they've been muttering under their collective breaths for the last 7 years.

Stupid fuckers probably didn't even know until some junior type asked a very basic question....

Interestingly there was, from memory, a requirement to report Y2K related issues to the Stock Exchange.  That requirement may still be there in certain cases which means that legally this should be reported for reasons of compliance with disclosure rules.

Now THAT would be funny.

Cue Anna Coren: "TT has leanred that global insurance giant, BYB, suffered from the effects of the Y2K bug.  Problem is, they've only just found out".

Too farking funny!

Cityrail haven't yet realised that it's an old Y2K bug that's screwing their timetables.

They're still struggling with the switch from steam power methinks......

SG

[Lord Biscuit©]

Ah yes.  Populated by lots of legal, commerce and accounting types.

Refer to my previous posts about the benefits of a science based education, the number of times all those Masters of the Universe Bain/Boston/McKinsey types completely fuck up their data or fundamentally misinterpret is truly scary.

Interesting. You seem to completely at sea with this one. "Legal, commerce and accounting types" do not write software. It was all the nice chaps fresh from their Computer Science courses who messed it all up. You see, once upon a time, the year in dates was represented by just 2 digits. Saved disk space and memory you see. It was obviously to software designers that "00" represented the year "1900"...until about 1990, when people started getting a bit jittery about everyones credit cards suddenly expiring, etc etc.

Stupid fuckers probably didn't even know until some junior type asked a very basic question....

Interestingly there was, from memory, a requirement to report Y2K related issues to the Stock Exchange.  That requirement may still be there in certain cases which means that legally this should be reported for reasons of compliance with disclosure rules.

Now THAT would be funny.

Cue Anna Coren: "TT has leanred that global insurance giant, BYB, suffered from the effects of the Y2K bug.  Problem is, they've only just found out".

Too farking funny!

They're still struggling with the switch from steam power methinks......

SG

Whereas in real life, the insurance, broking and banking companies were at the forefront of understanding and fixing the problem. They certainly had the most to lose.

[SG]

Interesting. You seem to completely at sea with this one. "Legal, commerce and accounting types" do not write software. It was all the nice chaps fresh from their Computer Science courses who messed it all up.

And thus Biccie comes valiantly to my support by proving my point.

Regardless of what the Com Sci guys do they simply provide data.  Sure,it's not brilliant to give data out of whack but still, theyprovided the data.

But to take the data for 7 years without realising that something was fundamentally wrong is a fundamental fuck up.

Whereas in real life, the insurance, broking and banking companies were at the forefront of understanding and fixing the problem. They certainly had the most to lose.

This being the case I look forward to hearing about other companies making the same or worse fuckups with their data as the insurance company in question.

SG

[Lord Biscuit©]

You do realise that these companies have more than one piece of software?

Just because you have some ancient tool that you run once every 10 years to reports some kind of statistics goes a little wrong doesn't mean the other 700 core applications suffer from the same kind of problem. It does not even mean there is anything wrong with the data - as DS indicated.

It's complicated, but I'll try to explain. See, a desktop computer can run software that can connect to a great deal of other computer systems that you can see. Kind of like the internets. The whole internets is not inside your computer there SG, that's why you need that cable or wireless aerial thing to connect you to where the internets stuff is.

Even on one computer, several different computer programs can operate entirely independently of each other. This may seem startling, but it's not magic. It's kind of like a box that contains both apples AND oranges. They both feed of the same water, yet one produces orange juice, the other apple juice. Extraordinary I know, but there you have it.

[SG]

You do realise that these companies have more than one piece of software?

Being a bit of a SAP fan I tend to lke the whole integration thing.

And with the wonders of Powerpoint I no longer need word processors or spreadsheets.

Or something like that.

Just because you have some ancient tool that you run once every 10 years to reports some kind of statistics goes a little wrong doesn't mean the other 700 core applications suffer from the same kind of problem. It does not even mean there is anything wrong with the data - as DS indicated.

Well......

We have no idea if they run it every 10 years or s.  That strikes me as a very bizarre concept, equally I'll keep an open mind and simply ask for more context to this statement.  I mean, if you only run the thing every 10 years then what the hell is it doing?  And surely software that is run that infrequently must surely be recognised as obsolete on teh second run?

I don't see your suggestion as a logical answer Biccie, although I await educating with eager anticipation.

And I thought DS did indicate there was something amiss with the data.

It's complicated, but I'll try to explain. See, a desktop computer can run software that can connect to a great deal of other computer systems that you can see. Kind of like the internets. The whole internets is not inside your computer there SG, that's why you need that cable or wireless aerial thing to connect you to where the internets stuff is.

Well according to Larry and Sergey this robot thingy I bought HAS brought the whole internets inside my laptop.  Let's me rank pages by some "pagerank" system or something.  Don't know about it but the algorithm is kind of cool from a mathematical point of view.

Only problem is I have the letter format as opposed to A4.

Even on one computer, several different computer programs can operate entirely independently of each other. This may seem startling, but it's not magic.

To quote the great Arthur C magic is merely any form of technology the viewer does not understand.

It's kind of like a box that contains both apples AND oranges. They both feed of the same water, yet one produces orange juice, the other apple juice. Extraordinary I know, but there you have it.

Wow. No wonder you use the term magic.

But I don't like oranges.  Can I use "Internet Settings" to change mine to apple and rhubarb?  That would be much nicer.  Particularly if I can order the "crumble" crust option.  And is the water Perrier?  I really don't want just humble tap water, I mean, what if I had to go to Adelaide for instance?  Would that mean my whole internet experience would leave a nasty taste?

Thankyou for your time on this matter.

SG