Zack Exley wrote:
> I worked as a programmer in Boston's financial sector for most of 98-99.
> Everywhere there were teams of Y2K people. It was clearly a scam. They
> didn't have anything to do.
>
> 90% of their time was spent chatting in the halls or going for long coffee
> breaks--but that's true of all IT people in the financial industry.
>
> But the 10% of the time they spent working was spent make some very minor
> changes, and then setting up elaborate "tests". Whole labs were set up to
> simulate the roll over, with whole copies of the systems running on a
> different time.
>
> In non-IT companies, management has no way of overseeing IT depts. They
> just have to trust whatever IT says. And IT is in a position right now to
> demand huge amounts of cash for whatever they say is necessary. That was
> the case before Y2K and is still the case, and Y2K only improved their
> position in that regard.
>
> These programmers in general are the most arrogant people--and mostly very
> conservative libertarian types. Even those with very low skill levels (like
> me) make up to $100,000 a year, after just one or two years of work
> experience. And they are just as sure they deserve it all as they are that
> the Starbucks slaves serving their coffee deserve $7/hr.
>
> I've always thought it would be fun to start a HR consulting firm that would
> steer companies through the process of firing 90% of their IT staffs.
> Things would actually work better if they did that and just make the
> remaining 10% actually do some work. That's not wrong is it? Nothing wrong
> with firing arogant programmers, right? Anyone game?
>
> -Zack
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com
> [mailto:owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com]On Behalf Of Boff Tagstumper
> Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2000 11:41 AM
> To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com
> Subject: Re: Y2-nuthin'?
>
> I don't think the date rollover was a non-event, but
> one that at least some organizations did prepare
> adequately for. I think the Fed required that the
> market makers in government debt had to make sure that
> their systems were Y2K-OK several months ago and would
> actually go in and audit systems to confirm this.
>
> On the other hand, (I'm just rumor mongering, mind
> you, so take this with a clump of salt) I've heard the
> Department of Agriculture Y2K preparedness was
> absolutely wretched, so folks who take an interest in
> the stats they produce might want to cast a cold eye
> on them in the coming months.
>
> Oh, and ADP screwed up my employer's payroll on 12/31.
> Rent's gonna be late...
> --
> Curtiss Leung
> (subscribed from a new, siller address)
>
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--
Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University michael at ecst.csuchico.edu Chico, CA 95929 530-898-5321 fax 530-898-5901