Stephen Fry on the Y2K Panic
I really enjoyed the BBC radio programme Archive on 4 – In the Beginning Was the Nerd by Stephen Fry. It is great retrospective in the ridiculousness of the Y2K panic ten years ago and a broader reflection on society’s relationship with and attitudes to computing in the C20. I was working in Local Government in the years preceding 2000 and there were some ridiculous efforts going into Y2K projects. IT contractors were the only winners! It is well worth listening just for revelling in the wisdom of hindsight. Perhaps there is also a pertinent lesson in how the media can poorly understand technology issues but still stir up a frenzy (think about the recent crazy privacy stories on Google StreetView).
