On Monday, eleven PC makers will announce formation of a PC Y2K alliance.

Members of the alliance include Acer America, American Megatrends, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, IBM, Intel, Toshiba Information Systems, and Phoenix Technologies.

The goal of the alliance, according its chairman, John Archer, is "to reduce confusion" regarding Y2K compliance issues for small and midsize businesses, and home PC buyers.

Located at www.pcy2000.org, the group's web site will contain information about the Y2K problem, such as a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list and instructions for determining whether a PC is Y2K compliant. The site will also offer links to Y2K-readiness technology.

In addition, the group will post a PC hardware specification, called the Alliance Year 2000 Personal Computer Compliance Specification 1.0, that covers two levels of hardware readiness associated with the problem.

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