The date change associated with the advent of the 21st century (i.e. Year 2000) is a worldwide issue that will impact all Shimadzu customers in a very special way. Shimadzu claims (please note emphasis on the word claims) to be taking "proactive" steps to cure all your instrument woes. But there is something hidden in the fine print that Shimadzu omitted altogether and avoided mention of on their homepage. And they probably won't volunteer it unless someone holds their feet to the fire.... it's all part of that lying, denying and concealing corporate theme that you'll find only at Shimadzu!

The Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland State Senate adopted legislation in early April 1999 shielding Maryland companies (including Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc.) and local governments from civil litigation in the event of computer and equipment-related glitches when Year 2000 arrives. The bill entitled "Commercial Law - Year 2000 Commerce Protection Act" offers broad and sweeping protection to Maryland businesses like Shimadzu Scientific if they take modest steps to become Year 2000 compliant. The synopsis of House Bill 8 (crossfiled with Senate Bill 554) reads:

"Creating the Year 2000 Commerce Protection Act to establish remedies for damages caused by the failure of information technology, products, or services because of specified date data problems; providing for specific damages under specified circumstances; providing that it shall be an affirmative defense in a Y2K-related action that the defendant [eg. Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc.] determined and implemented in good faith action necessary to become Year 2000-ready in a specified manner; defining specific terms; etc."

n.b. So if you buy a Y2K compliant product (software or hardware) from Shimadzu which results in any computer or equipment foul-ups down the road, Shimadzu will be protected legally from any instituted court action. Do you really think that any Shimadzu sales rep will disclose this little tidbit to you while asking for the purchase order?

n.b. And it doesn't matter where you live. If you reside in California, Kansas or Connecticut, you could be left holding the bag because Maryland law will shield Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc from your proposed lawsuit for Y2K glitches!

n.b. We have disclosed previously that it's not unusual for Shimadzu to fix program bugs in early versions of software/firmware only for other problems to crop up in later releases of the same software/firmware product. Go ahead and lookup "bugs" in the dictionary.... you will see a picture of Shimadzu captioned!

n.b. If you didn't already have enough reasons to take your business elsewhere, just add Maryland's Y2K Protection Act to your list and seek out reputable vendors who stand behind their products versus those (eg. Shimadzu) who hide behind pro-business legislation designed to protect their corporate "lying" asses!