There are doomsayers who are convinced the future impact of the Y2K bug will be critical, with computer meltdowns that will throw the world into death and chaos. There are others who believe the potential problems are being managed by brilliant technicians who have had years to prepare for any possibility of significant disruptions. They say the Y2K bug has been exaggerated, and that it's little more than a scare tactic created by fearmongers. The next level of scary predictions escalates to widespread power failures, operation problems with automated teller machines, delays of government benefit checks, and widespread business bankruptcies. Some dismiss such forecasts as alarmist.
Large companies appear well on the way to solving the problem, with time to spare.
They say the glitch won't have a dramatic impact on the global economy. Even if there are failures at some small businesses, the economy will not be sent into a tailspin. Take a look at Year 2000 Damage Probabilities by Software Productivity Research in Burlington, Mass., a company widely considered a leader on the Y2K issue. For a condensed version, check out Channel 4000's section called the Y2K Pain Index . Or examine a recent interview with Leslie Schelp at Tandem Computers posted at the Year 2000 Information Center .