Re: Y2K in Africa

Kerry Miller (mailto:kerryo@ns.sympatico.ca)
Thu, 29 Apr 1999 15:40:07 -0004

Message-ID:  <19990429183425.AAA25313@LOCALNAME>
Date:         Thu, 29 Apr 1999 15:40:07 -0004
From: Kerry Miller <mailto:kerryo@ns.sympatico.ca>
Subject:      Re: Y2K in Africa
To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU

Reid,

> My concern is that a simpler approach be offered, one that does
> not involve costly programs. Could this be an issue of sustainability,
> where the appropriate solutions might be some of those outlined here?
> Not so far up country from where I live, when a part breaks on a water
> pump the pump is abandoned. How can we expect utility companies to
> search out complex programs and the experts to install and test them?
>

The simple solution is called double entry book-keeping, and is available to any operation where manpower is still comparatively cheap.

Any villager who depends on a water pump can teach the utility something about depending on software that must never fail: keep a bucket on hand.

kerry