Applications software vendors selling programs for project management, estimating and accounting seem to have the problem corrected, say users interviewed. A rash of new software programs have hit the market recently to detect Y2K problems on desktop computers. But some, says Morehouse, come with misleading claims. Mean Time-uta, may be a viable answer, Morehouse adds. Industry firms that have already tackled the Y2K glitch say it can be tough and painstaking.
Most components are in place, but payroll has yet to be tackled.
Some firms report a move from owning to leasing computers, shifting responsibility for upgrades to the vendor. One-third have been replaced so far, with the rest set for replacement before 2000. Some Y2K experts predict delays and skyrocketing prices from an anticipated shortage of trained software installers. It will be a mad rush. Much like the debate over the magnitude of the software problem, experts disagree on what will happen to devices with date-dependent microchips.