Subject: heavenly software problems Messiah Delay Expected - Y2K problem cited: Disappointing news out of Jerusalem today - delay predicted in the coming of the Messiah. A spokesman for God blamed software problems arising from Y2K bug as the source of the delay. Recently, Heaven has been preparing for a launch of the Messianic Era. In a bit of bad luck, the selected time, Tishrei 5761, is also 2000 CE, and subject to the infamous Y2K problem. "We just didn't realize how pervasive this problem was" God said yesterday. "We thought Y2K was just a Gematriah thing. Who knew?" The Y2K bug brought down three of Heaven's main servers and God's personal laptop during a full-up dress rehearsal simulation of the anticipated Messianic times. Heaven's spokesman would not discuss the servers for security reasons, but did mention that God uses an IBM ThinkPad, running Microsoft WorldPerfect 7 under Windows NT. Requests for comment from Microsoft went unanswered. "These computers are really a mixed blessing," God said. "I don't like to say it, but you know, 'Darned if you do, darned if you don't.'" Heaven is waiting for a software patch from Microsoft to resolve the problem. The spokesman for Heaven said Microsoft would not promise a date for the fix."I can tell you for a fact that Bill Gates is not the Messiah," God commented. "But as of now, he's the only one who can bring him." For more continuing coverage of the issue, check out the website: www.messiah.come About the Software, WorldPerfect 7: Many people are surprised to hear Heaven falling prey to the Y2K problem, but far more of them are surprised to hear that computers are even relevant "upstairs." Years ago Heaven converted from standard paper-based systems to computers. The following are excepts from a recent interview with God on this topic: "We had our first machine years ago. The hardware was big and the programs slow, but we could see that World Processing was the way to go." In the olden days, you only had to track 613 mitzvot per Jew. No big deal. Now with all those Rabbinical decrees, minhagim, chumrahs, etc., you really need the computer. "Our first piece of software was the spreadsheet, MitzvaCalc - you know, for the Das operating system. But now of course we're much more sophisticated. We use the fully integrated world processor, WorldPerfect 7. "Before computers, Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur was a nightmare around here - so much to keep track of. Between all the Teshuvah,Tefillah and Tzedakah, the "I'm sorry for this and that", it was impossible to keep up. It would take us till Hoshana Rabbah just to count up all the points and close the books. Nowadays it all happens in real time. By Motzei Yom Kippur we have a printout in hand - how many live, how many die, who by fire, who by water, etc. Not a bad system...."