The year 2000--computer compliance : second report. Volume II, Minutes of evidence and appendices / Science and Technology Committee.
- Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Science and Technology
- Date:
- 1998
Licence: Open Government Licence
Credit: The year 2000--computer compliance : second report. Volume II, Minutes of evidence and appendices / Science and Technology Committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![19 November 1997] [ Continued 6.2 The reasons that senior people do not take it seriously are understandable—but wrong. They include: — itis still described as “hype”; — itis seen as a technical matter; — in-house computer staff are misleading them; — other current global scare stories seem to be exaggerated; and — could the computer industry be so stupid? 7. GOVERNMENT ACTION—COULD IT DO MORE? 7.1 Internationally, Taskforce 2000 was a unique initiative—until very recently, no similar body existed elsewhere. 7.2 Asaresult, awareness levels are probably higher in the UK than in any other country—and there may be more action here also. 7.3 The main weakness is that the vehicle for getting things done, Taskforce 2000, has been poorly supported by past and present Governments. Compared with the problem, its funding has been pitiful. A result, for example, is that proposals for a short-term highly-focused advertising campaign (on the lines of the AIDS and self-assessment campaigns) have been impossible to implement. 8. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: — The matter raises important legal, audit and insurance issues. — Not least of these is senior people’s liability for failure. — There is inadequate action on the skills shortage. — Some systems being sold today are not compliant. — The embedded chip problem is underestimated—t is huge. — Interconnections (with third parties) are a critical factor. — Testing is a complex and massive part of the job. — The date-change problem will have a major impact on euro introduction. — The international dimension is critical and requires greater attention. — Contingency planning is essential—at national as well as corporate level. The key to the solution is radical prioritisation. 12 November 1997](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b32218692_0013.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
