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The Y2K issue did actually require a significant amount of patching for some systems, and they absolutely would have failed if not for that patching. Complying

The Y2K issue did actually require a significant amount of patching for some systems, and they absolutely would have failed if not for that patching. Complying with government regulation is not really in the same class of issues.

ghaff 8y ago
It seems that "Y2K was much ado about nothing" is becoming an increasingly popular school of thought. There was certainly lots of hype at the time. But a huge amount of money and time went into mitigating problems. I don't know if there would have been widespread power grid, etc. collapses or not if everyone had taken the attitude of "Eh, we'll fix things if they break" but I'm pretty convinced people would have been missing paychecks, bank account statements would be wrong, and that sort of thing at least.
Moru 8y ago
People keep saying "Look, the sky didn't fall, what was all the hubub about?!". A job well done!
gist 8y ago
> The Y2K issue did actually require a significant amount of patching I am referring mainly to the media hype and how it becomes the issue de jure and then ceases to matter. The media jumps on it and amplifies anyone who chimes or confirms the fear. Why? So they can run a 'if it bleeds it leads' type headline. While there could have been stories after the fact of problems for unpatched systems I don't remember any of those stories. And it is not because everyone patched their systems either. I mean there were posts online about GDPR where some small insignificant company just folded up for fear of what would happen as if the EU was really going to go after that type of target. Anyone who has been in business for a long time knows that is not what is ever done. To your point you are right because this isn't even (for US companies) a US regulation and if they have no customers in the EU then it is a stretch to be concerned about it (at least relative which is my point to the attention given to it by the media).

ghaff 8y ago

It seems that "Y2K was much ado about nothing" is becoming an increasingly popular school of thought. There was certainly lots of hype at the time. But a huge amount of money and time went into mitigating problems. I don't know if there would have been widespread power grid, etc. collapses or not if everyone had taken the attitude of "Eh, we'll fix things if they break" but I'm pretty convinced people would have been missing paychecks, bank account statements would be wrong, and that sort of thing at least.

Moru 8y ago

People keep saying "Look, the sky didn't fall, what was all the hubub about?!". A job well done!

gist 8y ago

> The Y2K issue did actually require a significant amount of patching I am referring mainly to the media hype and how it becomes the issue de jure and then ceases to matter. The media jumps on it and amplifies anyone who chimes or confirms the fear. Why? So they can run a 'if it bleeds it leads' type headline. While there could have been stories after the fact of problems for unpatched systems I don't remember any of those stories. And it is not because everyone patched their systems either. I mean there were posts online about GDPR where some small insignificant company just folded up for fear of what would happen as if the EU was really going to go after that type of target. Anyone who has been in business for a long time knows that is not what is ever done. To your point you are right because this isn't even (for US companies) a US regulation and if they have no customers in the EU then it is a stretch to be concerned about it (at least relative which is my point to the attention given to it by the media).