In the last year or so, when people I meet find out that I am in the computer field, they usually ask one question: “So what do ya think about this Y2K thing?” I would respond in a calm and reassuring tone that virtually nothing will happen to denote the passing of the last New Year of the millennium. And furthermore it is entirely possible that they needlessly converted their life savings into gold Kruger-ands and cleaned the local Wall-Mart out of all their 12-gage shells for nothing.

There is almost a look of disappointment on their face. The predictions of the collapse of the industrialized world won’t come true? That’s right Chief, the Y2K bug has been stamped out by the same thing that created it… corporate dollars. Here in the home stretch of the 20th Century, there is too much at stake for a business to let a thing like a few lousy lines of code ruin their stock price. Believe it or not, the people in charge of keeping the lights on, are in that business to make a profit. They answer to their shareholders, who incidentally are already starting to pass up stock tips on companies who posted a measly 7% growth last year.

I believe the most dangerous thing about Y2K will be the throngs of armed survivalists guarding their underground stashes of potable water and C rations. Or the nut-balls who think we will be paid a visit by The Creator or Vishnu or that long armed alien who came out of the spaceship at the end of Close Encounters.

Take comfort kids, come midnight 01/01/00 the lights will be on, the toaster will be making perfectly browned toast, and the ATMs will not be pumping 10s and 20s onto the pavement. It is most likely that the majority of you will spend New Years Day the same way I will. Awake at 11am with a splitting headache, turn on the Sugar Bowl, and doze off before halftime.