But this conversation isn't about new babies or last night's game. Skeptical that government or industry have all the answers for the problems expected to arise when the nation's computer calendars turn 2000, a growing number of citizens and communities are bracing for the fallout. It's not just a bank problem. It's not just a business problem or a government problem. Most of us didn't realize how dependent we are on smooth-working software.
Some experts are optimistic.
They expect little more than some everyday inconveniences like rejected credit card transactions, flight delays at airports or scattered power outages. But others see a potential for multiple disasters, including shortages of food and drinking water, due to breakdowns in computerized systems of distribution. The darkest scenarios of social chaos and unrest have spurred a new movement of survivalists who are stocking up on dried food and bottled water in remote rural hideaways. Looking into measures that resemble the contingency planning for a natural disaster, some Y2K activists are investigating backup sources of electricity and water distribution. They think somebody else is fixing it.