At 15:11 1998-04-03 +0200, Dr Eberhard W Lisse <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

>Apart from the technical side, it's a matter of priorities...
>We should concentrate on the main frames first, so that the economies
>remain functional. Once that is done we can look at the few devices
>that we actually can do something about.

If I might embroider on that statement a little B>)

Y2k is not about PC's or Mainframes or whatever. It is about
business risk. It has nothing to do with IT, it is a Business problem.

We have to prioritise our  mission-critical business issues,
make sure that we have a solution (any solution, not necessarily
computerised) and that if we can live without something unnecessary
we hurl it out.

Triage ( a term borrowed from the Medical fraternity) is needed.

We are seeing corporations now paying lip service to Y2k by
setting up a Project team reporting to IT, with some lowly expendable
gopher (usually female) in charge. The theory being that this fallperson
will take the heat if it all blows up.

This is a fallacy of course. Directors have Fiduciary responsibility
anywhere in the world. They cannot duck the responsibility even
if they want to.

The Y2k Project should report direct to the Board. The CEO and CFO should
be joint Y2k Project Leaders. After all, they have nothing to do in the next
18 months that is more important than ensuring the survival and integrity of the
business.

It is now too late to utilise some of the options that were available
to us two years ago. It is now a survival exercise.
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Chris Anderson          email:                       [log in to unmask]
Y2K Cinderella Project          [log in to unmask]
http://www.cinderella.co.za             Striving for Year 2000 Compliance
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