Editor writes: And now, the good news from Ulster

Northern Ireland has made the headlines yet again this week, and what great news it is for the province. Raytheon is to establish a multi-million-pound software development centre in Derry, creating jobs for 150 IT professionals over the next three years. This is in addition to the 15,000 new IT jobs already envisaged for the area.

Yes, we're being disingenuous. Ulster's problems are, of course, better publicised than her successes. Yet even as the peace process undergoes yet another agony, the world spotlight on the region may benefit its citizens.

Its business leaders, from both traditions, are equally serious about convincing the world that it is a great place to live, work and succeed in the digital economy.

Northern Ireland offers a pool of skilled graduates from its universities - already renowned as some of the best in the UK - offers relatively cheap and stimulating cities and towns to relocate to, and is offering financial assistance to those that want to take up the chance of a fresh start in a green high-tech place.

Nortel Networks, ICL, BT, Seagate Technologies and Fujitsu have already bought into the opportunities offered by the area and its people. Dublin and the rest of the Republic have long experienced a boom driven by high-tech industries.

The north and its generation of skilled young people are sick of losing business and are fighting back. They have a great chance as long as job seekers, employers and entrepreneurs look at the area and its opportunities with an open mind.

Date with disaster?

The Day Of Doom is coming. Or is it?

The problem is, those four 9s look awfully like the kind of end-condition a 1960s programmer might have used. The fear is, how many programs will obediently die once that date is reached?

The 9/9/99 issue is being referred to by some as a dry run for the year 2000, much like the recent Global Positioning System rollover date was seen as an indicator of possible year 2000-style problems. In fact, both events are very different from, and should not be mistaken for, the millennium.

Unlike the year 2000 issue, it might only ever affect certain systems, not embedded chips or the general infrastructure.

So 9/9/99 is a red herring - disguised as a warning. Don't think surviving this date means you can slack off on year 2000 preparations; 2000, not 999, might still be your emergency number.