----- Original Message ----- From: Febrian Aribudi Samto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Rizal Purwanto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2000 8:17 AM Subject: Fw: Y2K.... > Read on..... > > > The truly crazy headed for the hills with fortified > > bunkers and ammunition. The more cautious bought > > water and tinned food. Even the most optimistic drew > > some extra cash the week before. Everyone speculated > > about the outcome. > > > > But in the IT world, we worked. We checked code. We > > corrected code. We tested code. We rolled dates > > forward and backward and forward and backward until > > our nerves were paper-thin. We upgraded hardware. We > > upgraded operating systems (to cope with the new > > hardware). We upgraded compilers (to cope with the new > > operating systems). We modified more code (to cope > > with the new compilers). And then we began the cycle > > again of testing and rolling forward and testing and > > rolling backward. > > > > We initiated great, complex Y2k projects. We compiled > > project plans. We filled in endless forms about the > > state of our Y2k projects. We wrote monthly reports > > about the progress of the Y2k projects. We went to > > meetings where we were told how the future of the > > company depended on the Y2k project being completed in > > time. We dealt with panicked business people. > > > > We soothed troubled nerves at dinner parties. We were > > asked to predict the outcome by distant cousins who > > knew we were "in IT". We became overnight experts in > > the working of diesel generators, photocopiers, motor > > vehicles and washing machines. And, collectively, we > > averted the disaster. > > > > Like superman of old, the IT professionals of today > > managed to intercept nothing less than the end of the > > world. In an industry where projects run notoriously > > over the most pessimistic time estimates, we met the > > deadline. The clocks ticked over to the year 2000 with > > nothing more than minor hitches. And were they > > grateful? > > > > Did the world thank us and laud us as the heroes we > > quite clearly were? > > > > No! > > > > They turned around and called it "all hype". They > > questioned the money spent. We did our jobs so damned > > well that the only question remaining was whether > > there had been any need to do the job at all. > > > > So, to all those IT people out there who slaved away > > at the Y2k problems over the past few years, who > > endured the pressure of fearful but helpless managers; > > who lost endless sleep testing things at night because > > there wasn't a separate test machine; who canceled > > their December leave; who couldn't be in exotic places > > to welcome the start of the new millennium; who > > stayed sober on New Year's eve because they were on > > standby; who went to work on the 1st and the 2nd to > > boot up the machines - I say put your feet up, pat > > yourselves and each other on the back and go and get > > some much needed sleep with a smug smile on your face. > > We did it. > > > > The IT people across the planet are heroes - even if > > unsung ones. > > Like housework, what we do is not appreciated unless > > we don't do it. But like the housewives of old we go > > on doing it, knowing that it is good, honest, > > necessary work - and that it gives us inordinate > > power. So, my fellow programmers, system > > administrators, database administrators, operators, > > analysts and support staff - congratulations on a job > > well done. Ours may be the youngest profession on the > > planet, but this 21st century belongs to us. > > > > ruben canto :o) > > Philippines > > > * Gunadarma Mailing List ----------------------------------------------- * Archives : http://milis-archives.gunadarma.ac.id * Langganan : Kirim Email kosong ke [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Berhenti : Kirim Email kosong ke [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Administrator: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
