Nobody is concerned that the ticking may stop. If people feel a sense of dread, it comes from the silent timepieces hidden inside computers and electronic devices. No one can say what will happen in the first second of the new year, but there is no escape from the millions of computerized clocks woven into modern life. Just try to buy groceries, obtain cash or even start your car without encountering a computer. In the Y2K nightmare, all these computers become confused about time, and the world comes to an abrupt halt.
Most experts agree the nightmare scenario is extreme.
But scattered computer problems, combined with a few panicky missteps, still threaten our daily comforts, finances and futures. It is a social dilemma of unknown dimensions, because nobody can predict the actions of millions of people. The second greatest risk is public apathy. People have to make their own decisions between what is paranoid and what is prudent. They found a country of mixed emotions.