As New Zealand is one of the first places on Earth to enter 2010, I'm delighted to report that the new year has not caused my computer to lock up. Planes are not dropping out of the sky. The electricity is still on. The phone still works. The Internet isn't broken. Even the TV still works.
Ten years ago, of course, that was newsworthy. Around the end of 1998 and early part of 1999, "Y2k" was widely predicted to cause all manner of IT disasters, and indeed it may well have done were it not for the enormous effort put into Y2k remediation work around the globe. By the middle to end of 1999, most of us were sick and tired of the doomsday predictions, recognising that Y2k projects were going to plan. For once, with a fixed end date and no way to run over, organizations prioritized rigorously and applied whatever resources were needed. The work was done and doomsday was averted.
The backlash started even before the end of 1999, though. I distinctly recall a number of journalists talking about the IT industry lining its pockets on unnecessary Y2K work. When the world didn't end, instead of thanking all those who had been working ridiculous hours under extreme stress for many months, the most prominent commentary was that the whole thing was fiction, a needless waste of money.
I hope you will think about this again when you need to quote the date in the new year. Is it 2010 or just "ten"?
Happy new year everyone.
Gary Hinson
CEO, IsecT Ltd.
New Zealand
January 1st 2010.