Zebra says: From: UK Y2K list This news release together with the earlier news release are sent to the list for your information. They raise important questions, when read together. Alan Simpson Com.Links Magazine http://www.comlinks.com By Dale Faulken LONDON (Reuter) - A global computer problem that could trigger disaster for the new millennium prompted a British member of Parliament Thursday to announce a bid for special legislation. David Atkinson, MP, said he would introduce a draft law next month forcing British companies to correct a feared hitch caused by the so-called Millenium Bug -- which may prevent computers from recognizing the date 2000 properly. "We cannot rely on the voluntary initiatives of companies," Atkinson said in an interview. Experts say that as clocks tick past midnight on Dec. 31, 1999, many computers across the world will either crash or start pumping out erroneous data. Most computers log years by the final two digits, this year being "96." So, lacking human intuiton, they may treat 2000 as 1900 or reject it completely as an invalid date. Without safeguards and costly reprogramming, this could snarl almost any aspect of modern life, including communications, credit card transactions, banking, payrolls, air traffic movements and nuclear power plant cooling. Atkinson's bill will seek to compel businesses to eradicate the Millennium Bug to prevent computer breakdowns. "The problem is so immense and the consequences so awful, that it requires legislation to concentrate business leaders' minds to ensure the problem is solved on time," he said. Atkinson, a member of the ruling Conservative Party, said he would seek cross-party support for the bill, which he will introduce sometime before Christmas. Some experts say the damage caused at the turn of the century could be enough to trigger a global recession and that the cost of correcting the problem could be as high as several hundred billion dollars. Robin Guenier, executive director of Taskforce 2000, a government-funded group set up to raise awareness of the bug, said the vast majority of British businesses leaders were "not taking the problem seriously." "Most directors just don't believe the problem is so serious. It seems like such a silly, stupid problem," Guenier said. "It is silly and stupid but it is also deadly serious. For some companies, it will be cheaper to go out of business than to fix the problem." REUTERS For private list use and discussion. Not for publication without written permission from Reuters At 05:10 PM 11/18/96 -0500, comlinks@csionline.com (Alan Simpson) wrote: To all UK Y2Kers: You probably have this information, but just in case here is a news release we just received.A second release will follow. (FYI) Alan Simpson CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Alydaar Software Corporation's (OTC-Bulletin Board: ALYD) Chairman and CEO Robert F. Gruder announced that the North Carolina-based software reengineering company and its U.K. Partner, Chase Technology Group, are working with MP David Atkinson of the House of Commons who introduced a bill which will require businesses to audit their computer's capacity to recognize the year 2000 and to report to directors and shareholders on action to be taken if the audit is negative. The announcement came during a speech given by Mr. Atkinson at a seminar on the millennium crisis on November 14, 1996, that was co-hosted by Alydaar Software Corporation and Chase Technology Group in London. "It is clear that the millennium problem facing the world's computer systems is too serious to rely on companies to take the action necessary to avoid widespread chaos and confusion. If most companies act responsibly by conducting an audit, and have taken the action necessary to ensure that their computers do not fail at the turn of the century, their business may still be vulnerable because some firms upon whom they rely, may not have acted so responsibly," said Mr. Atkinson. "Alydaar Software Corporation is pleased to be working with Mr. Atkinson who has taken leadership on one of the most important issues facing organizations as they look toward the new millennium," said Robert F. Gruder, chairman and chief executive officer of Alydaar Software Corporation. Mr. Atkinson's bill will add a new section to the Companies Act 1985, requiring all companies to conduct an audit of the capacity of their computer systems to deal with calendar dates after December 31, 1999, to report on this audit and on the action their directors propose be taken as a consequence. Alydaar Software Corporation is a software reengineering firm offering successful translation and migration reengineering solutions. Alydaar has developed a total solution to repair large software systems impacted by the Year 2000 issue utilizing its SmartCode(TM) technology. This SmartCode core technology is based on highly flexible automated Artificial Intelligence Language. SmartCode can examine and understand a company's entire software system and identifies inherited date-sensitive characteristics. The system will evaluate a company's date-solution opportunities and difficulties and reengineer software to incorporate the necessary corrections. Currently, no other organization has the translation and migration capabilities of Alydaar, and it is the only company which can guarantee performance, style and functionality of its reengineering services. Chase Technology Group, based in the United Kingdom, is a computer hardware and software provider with specialties in publishing industry software, connectivity solutions, stock control and sales ledger systems, tape library and management solutions, and value added reseller of hardware and support services. CO: Alydaar Software Corporation; Chase Technology Group ST: North Carolina IN: CPR SU: