From: Harvey Newstrom (newstrom@newstaffinc.com)
Date: Thu Dec 30 1999 - 08:20:02 MST
Microsoft has a tool that will scan your PC for Microsoft products and give
you a list of all the Y2K problems with them. It can be downloaded from
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/year2k/pca/pca.htm>. It gives you
a report that shows if upgrades are available.
Be warned that many of Microsoft's "fixes" are temporary patches that
will only work for the year 2000. This gives Microsoft one year to come up
with a real fix. Microsoft doesn't admit/advertise these, but you can
recognize
such products in the report where is says a product is compliant but that
required future upgrades are pending. That means that it won't fail right
now,
but it will if it is not patched soon, and that they plan to have the patch
available
before it fails.
Also be warned that many of the "compliant" products may require user
action.
Excel spreadsheets are compliant, but it's up to you to make your
spreadsheet
formulas compliant. Compilers are compliant, but it's up to make your
source
code make system calls in a compliant manner. DOS is compliant, but it's up
to you to make your batch scripts compliant. Databases and clients are
compliant, but it's up to you to fix your database files and servers. You
can't
just assume that a "compliant" product will work without action on your
part.
"Compliant" doesn't mean you don't have to do anything. It means that
anything
you have to do is your fault, and Microsoft products can be compliant if you
use
them in a compliant manner. If you use them in a noncompliant manner, they
will fail and Microsoft blames you.
I hope this shows that your PCs are Y2K compliant. My IBM PC was, but I
have installed 40-50 upgrade patches from Microsoft during the past six
months. I use my PC for consulting, and have a lot of products on it. I'm
not
sure how many upgrades are necessary for most PCs. Microsoft's own
guidelines
probably give the best case scenario for your Microsoft products.
Good Luck!
-- Harvey Newstrom <http://harveynewstrom.com> Certified Consultant, Legal Hacker, Engineer, Research Scientist, Author.
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