Nevertheless, Goldenberg has set out to buy a new computer system. I'm starting to make calls to computer firms, stop in their stores, talk to other shop owners about the systems they use. It's a real all-consuming process. The risk of Y2K disruptions and the effort required to fix the glitch can be, in relative terms, just as costly and labor intensive for small businesses as for large corporations. But technology specialists say that unlike Inner Ski, most small firms responded slowly.
Industry analysts raise similar concerns about foreign governments and businesses.
Even among large U.S. businesses considered to be aggressive in attacking the problem, most specialists say that it is unlikely that every manifestation of the glitch will be discovered and fixed. The Justice Department issued a letter in June stating that cooperation among industry rivals on the issue would not violate federal antitrust laws. The SEC on Wednesday decided to start forcing companies to file more meaningful disclosure statements about the costs and progress of their repair work. Many companies have resisted exchanging technical advice with one another because they worry about costly litigation if the information they provide inadvertently turns out to be inaccurate. In some cases, though, companies have no choice but to cooperate.