urn on investment and cost-benefit analysis may not be adequate without considering other repercussions that may result due to failure to comply. For many organizations, it may be as simple as either fix the problem while it can or else be out of business. Organizations that are on top of everything will still need contingency planning. As Murphy’s law state: If something can go wrong, it will." It may be appropriate to conclude by listing Don’t Forget the Basics, 10 Y2K reminders from Greenwich Mean Time, a Y2K software company in Arlington, VA(7): Don’t panic. While 2000 is an unavoidable deadline, the problem is finite. Be aware of your liability. Business executives who brush off Y2K compliance may be considered negligent and face huge lawsuits when system fail. Develop an action plan. If you don’t have one, business partners auditors, bankers and insurers will begin to worry. Remember the domino effect. Even if your company is Y2K compliant, it is at risk if its customers and suppliers have not addressed the issue in their own systems. Don’t look for a silver bullet. While tools exist to speed up the repair work, none will automatically solve the problem. Don’t underestimate the scope of the problem. It affects all companies, regardless of size, an impacts all systems, including PCs. Focus on business survival, not IT survival. Create backup plan, even if it is as simple as making printed copies of every document you use. Start now. Otherwise bonuses, profits and share price will be jeopardized by the delay. Don’t rely on anyone else to solve the problem – they have their hands full with their own year 2000 problems. Don’t bet your business on promises. Make suppliers guarantee compliance of their systems in writing. ...
