Ytwok Consulting

No doubt there are many sincere, public-minded folks in the Y2K industry. However, there are also charlatans making money from fear. Let's analyze the situation a little:

You can be a Cassandra or a Pollyanna.

If you are a Cassandra, preaching doom and gloom, and Y2K is a big disaster, you have the satisfaction of saying, "I told you so," and the probability of lots more work cleaning up the mess, since you proved to be accurate in the past. If nothing happens 1.1.00, you can claim credit for having averted disaster. In the meantime, you can make lots of money by scaring customers and getting them to run around at your bidding.

If you are a Pollyanna, insisting that the whole thing will be no big deal, and Y2K is a big disaster, your credibility is shot. If 1.1.00 is just another day, nobody will remember that what you said wouldn't happen didn't happen. In the meantime, there is no way to make money from telling people that everything is okay.

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Some consultants I know were recently denied renewal of their business insurance policy with the explanation:

  "Your business includes computer-related activities which present an
  exposure to loss from "year 2000" computer problems.  It is not our intent
  to provide such coverage under your insurance policy.  However, the nature
  of your business increases the possibility of a claim which could result in
  defense costs and other related exposure whether or not coverage is found
  to exist."

I don't believe their practice includes specifically addressing y2k problems. They just do computer work. Likewise, I know my practice is not immune since I've been signing contracts with y2k clauses for the last year or so. Yuck. -- WardCunningham

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