Advocates for the Millennium
- Grade 3, Smith School -
What We Learned from our Business Partners
During Week 3, our business partners replied to our e-mails and answered our questions about Y2K. Here are what some of the Grade 3 students learned from the information they received.
| I learned that for the company where he works in Asia, they checked every
machine that might have a computer chip somewhere in it. I learned that very
few computers will not work.
by Kaila M. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
| I wrote to Kristopher Armstrong at Westworld Computers Ltd. They fix
computers and probably sell computers. Mr. Armstrong's company, his
customers and him all use Macintosh computers.
These computers are year 2000 compliant so they don't have to do much to prepare. Most of their software and all of their hardware are ready for the date change in the year 2000. He doesn't think that most major systems, like power and water, will be affected. He thinks that most games and hotmail should be fine in the Y2K. Computers can't just shut down they don't work like that. I asked him, "Do you think if the computers will shut down we will miss all of the games?" Mr. Armstrong said," They may not work properly, but they don't just totally fail."
by Larissa D. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
| Syncrude does not have grasshoppers. Grasshoppers will not shut down
in other companies because they do not have any computer equipment on them.
It would be hard to live with out gas and oil. You need it for your cars
and trucks. You need it for heating your homes. Their customers are not worried.
Their customers are the companies in Edmonton. They take the oil they produce.
The customers in Edmonton are working on the Y2K problem.
by Justin H. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
| I learned that the trains will operate. I learned that the trains will
still come in. I learned that we don't have to overreact. I learned that
they think there maybe some very serious effects on business. This is Stewart
Whillans for Western Region Grain for Agricore that I wrote to.. They will
be able to load and unload from the trains. He doesn't seem too concerned
with problems in his business.
by Alexis P. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
| He said the moon would not hit the earth. And the lights will not shut
off. And the people will not escape from jail. I wrote to the Crime
Prevention Unit for the Edmonton Police Service.
by Ian J. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
| Computers were programmed for 2 digits instead of 4 digits so when it
switches to 2000 the computer might read it as 1900. The City of Edmonton
has been working to fix their problems for electricity and heating. The City
is more worried about the big problems. They will be ready to respond if
anything happens.
by Wayne T. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
| I wrote to a travel company.
Q1: How did you get your computers ready? A: They upgraded their computers. It was expensive, but necessary. Q2: Are you ready for the Y2K? A: They have a team ready to battle the What ifs. Q3: Do you have a plan that will help any passengers? A: They have a plan in a command centre that will help the passengers. Q4: Are you prepared for the bug? A: They expect it not to impact them much, but they are prepared for the bug.
by Rebecca M. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
