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GLITCH: The Y2K Conspiracy
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GLITCH: The Y2K Conspiracy
Current price: $18.95
Barnes and Noble
GLITCH: The Y2K Conspiracy
Current price: $18.95
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There are those who believe that the end of the millennium will coincide with the end of the world. And while such talk is not often taken seriously, there is a new breed of doomsayer out there demanding recognition, preaching fire and brimstone - and Y2K. By now, "Y2K," the Year 2000 computer problem, has been widely reported. When the calendar turns from 1999 to 2000, many computers and computer programs will malfunction and think that it's 1900 instead of 2000. The new doomsayers have predicted that this glitch will cause power outages, telecommunication breakdowns, and widespread bank failures, starting a chain reaction that will tumble western civilization as we know it. And the problem is, they may be right. Even moderate voices have forecast a worldwide bill in excess of $1 trillion. Prominent economists believe that a worldwide recession is likely, at least as severe as the 1973-74 oil-related
recession.
Although the impact of Y2K will vary, a large number of businesses will find that if they don't fix it, most of their computer programs just won't work. What would be the impact of company-wide computer failure? According to an insurance study, 93 percent of businesses that lose their computer systems for at least ten days fail. If that number proves to be accurate, more than one third of the world's businesses may fail within the next two years.
Will the problem be fixed before January 1, 2000? Unfortunately, both the public and private sectors have only recently focused on the issue. And because practically every organization needs to solve it simultaneously, programmers are getting scarcer and scarcer every day, especially considering how few people there are who can competently repair the antiquated computer languages that make up the bulk of the problem.
The deadline can't be moved, and when was the last time you heard about a major computer project that was completed on time?
WHAT IF?
Against that background, suppose that a major auto manufacturer was far along in its Y2K repair efforts, but some of its biggest competitors were lagging. Suppose further that the manufacturer went out and hired every available programmer capable of performing this work and hid them in a secure facility. If the auto manufacturer's competitors were unable to hire help, they would be unable to fix their computers before the year 2000, and thus would be at a huge competitive disadvantage, possibly going out of business entirely. Considering the billions of dollars that the largest companies spend today to get a competitive edge, the cost of hiring the relatively small group of programmers capable of fixing this problem would not be outrageous. The outlay would be even more cost-effective if the auto manufacturer teamed with one or
two large firms in each major industry to form a consortium whose purpose it was to prevent businesses outside the group from fixing their Y2K problems.
As an additional twist, suppose that some semi-scrupulous wheeler-dealer on Wall Street caught wind of the consortium. How much money could he make knowing, for example, that Ford was staying in business but GM was probably not? How much would that knowledge be worth to him?
Finally, consider countries like Indonesia and India. These countries are among the most populous in the world. They are rich in natural resources. Their populations have a high degree of technical skills. The only thing keeping these nations from being world powers is money. They are poor, with huge national debts and weak currencies. They have no practical way to strengthen their own money supply, so their only hope is to weaken everybody else's. If the First World - especially world leaders United States, Germany, and Japan - were to fall into depression, then these countries would be able to play the world power game on a more level playing field.
THE STORY
The story follows two ordinary individuals. The first is Doug Woodson, a mid-thirties, couch-potato programmer, self-employed and unattached, from Philadelphia. The second is Jennifer Thomas, a young intelligence agent working for the Treasury Department. Unbeknownst to both, a consortium has formed with the purpose of preventing businesses outside the group from fixing their Y2K problems. This consortium consists of members of most major industries, is partially backed by unscrupulous Wall Street wizards, and is aided by desperate, high-ranking members of the Indonesian government.
Doug accepts an offer of employment that is too lucrative to refuse. He travels to Silicon Valley to a secured facility to work on the Y2K problem. Little does he know that his new employer will not allow him to leave, at least not until the 21st century.
At the same time, Jen is assigned to infiltrate various agencies in our own government to determine how well the agencies are dealing with Y2K.
As Doug begins to realize that he is trapped in a gilded cage, Jen determines that most Federal agencies are behind schedule, in large part due to excessive turnover. When she attempts to track down two departed systems managers, she embarks on a wild chase that leads her to the consortium, where she confronts powers that pervade even her own intelligence hierarchy.
While Doug executes a daring escape from his facility, with the help of a beautiful, yet mysterious, Indonesian woman, Jen's search for the truth is thwarted and her life endangered. Eventually, their paths cross in far-off Jakarta, where they stumble across an insidious international conspiracy to throw the world into financial chaos. Together, this unlikely pair undertakes a valiant effort to expose the plot, determine friend from foe, and escape with their lives.
Glitch is more than a "cyber-thriller." It points out a very real danger to our society that may effect everybody all too soon. It attempts to expose our helpless dependence upon technology, whether we know it or not, and the fragile, automated threads upon which rests world economic stability.
recession.
Although the impact of Y2K will vary, a large number of businesses will find that if they don't fix it, most of their computer programs just won't work. What would be the impact of company-wide computer failure? According to an insurance study, 93 percent of businesses that lose their computer systems for at least ten days fail. If that number proves to be accurate, more than one third of the world's businesses may fail within the next two years.
Will the problem be fixed before January 1, 2000? Unfortunately, both the public and private sectors have only recently focused on the issue. And because practically every organization needs to solve it simultaneously, programmers are getting scarcer and scarcer every day, especially considering how few people there are who can competently repair the antiquated computer languages that make up the bulk of the problem.
The deadline can't be moved, and when was the last time you heard about a major computer project that was completed on time?
WHAT IF?
Against that background, suppose that a major auto manufacturer was far along in its Y2K repair efforts, but some of its biggest competitors were lagging. Suppose further that the manufacturer went out and hired every available programmer capable of performing this work and hid them in a secure facility. If the auto manufacturer's competitors were unable to hire help, they would be unable to fix their computers before the year 2000, and thus would be at a huge competitive disadvantage, possibly going out of business entirely. Considering the billions of dollars that the largest companies spend today to get a competitive edge, the cost of hiring the relatively small group of programmers capable of fixing this problem would not be outrageous. The outlay would be even more cost-effective if the auto manufacturer teamed with one or
two large firms in each major industry to form a consortium whose purpose it was to prevent businesses outside the group from fixing their Y2K problems.
As an additional twist, suppose that some semi-scrupulous wheeler-dealer on Wall Street caught wind of the consortium. How much money could he make knowing, for example, that Ford was staying in business but GM was probably not? How much would that knowledge be worth to him?
Finally, consider countries like Indonesia and India. These countries are among the most populous in the world. They are rich in natural resources. Their populations have a high degree of technical skills. The only thing keeping these nations from being world powers is money. They are poor, with huge national debts and weak currencies. They have no practical way to strengthen their own money supply, so their only hope is to weaken everybody else's. If the First World - especially world leaders United States, Germany, and Japan - were to fall into depression, then these countries would be able to play the world power game on a more level playing field.
THE STORY
The story follows two ordinary individuals. The first is Doug Woodson, a mid-thirties, couch-potato programmer, self-employed and unattached, from Philadelphia. The second is Jennifer Thomas, a young intelligence agent working for the Treasury Department. Unbeknownst to both, a consortium has formed with the purpose of preventing businesses outside the group from fixing their Y2K problems. This consortium consists of members of most major industries, is partially backed by unscrupulous Wall Street wizards, and is aided by desperate, high-ranking members of the Indonesian government.
Doug accepts an offer of employment that is too lucrative to refuse. He travels to Silicon Valley to a secured facility to work on the Y2K problem. Little does he know that his new employer will not allow him to leave, at least not until the 21st century.
At the same time, Jen is assigned to infiltrate various agencies in our own government to determine how well the agencies are dealing with Y2K.
As Doug begins to realize that he is trapped in a gilded cage, Jen determines that most Federal agencies are behind schedule, in large part due to excessive turnover. When she attempts to track down two departed systems managers, she embarks on a wild chase that leads her to the consortium, where she confronts powers that pervade even her own intelligence hierarchy.
While Doug executes a daring escape from his facility, with the help of a beautiful, yet mysterious, Indonesian woman, Jen's search for the truth is thwarted and her life endangered. Eventually, their paths cross in far-off Jakarta, where they stumble across an insidious international conspiracy to throw the world into financial chaos. Together, this unlikely pair undertakes a valiant effort to expose the plot, determine friend from foe, and escape with their lives.
Glitch is more than a "cyber-thriller." It points out a very real danger to our society that may effect everybody all too soon. It attempts to expose our helpless dependence upon technology, whether we know it or not, and the fragile, automated threads upon which rests world economic stability.
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