Now we now why the entertainment systems are so flaky!

[straitman]

I suppose then, that people will be surprised, considering the comments about processors, that the base processor for the GPS satellite system is the 286 :!:

 

[jojax14]

Sorry I'm a bit lost over the alleged horror at not using the lastest OS or processor. If it can do the job so what?

My horror was not that an old version of Windows was in use, but more that any version of Windows was in use!!

While we are on the subject of old-tech gear still in use, this reminded of a story I read a few years ago about parts for the Space Shuttle being acquired on eBay! (I found a link to the article on Google but can't paste links until I get to 10 posts)

 

[medhead]

My horror was not that an old version of Windows was in use, but more that any version of Windows was in use!!

Well that makes more sense, I understand. But I guess that's just market power.

Shuttle parts on ebay. Seen this story:
Corolla fanbelt to help reveal Apollo data | The Australian

IT looks as if it belongs aboard Dr Who's Tardis and needs a fan belt from a 36-year-old Toyota Corolla to get going, but experts are betting that an old refrigerator-sized tape recorder can help to analyse "fresh" data from NASA's Apollo missions to the moon.

Improbable as it sounds, the 1960s-vintage IBM729 Mark 5 and the 173 untouched magnet tapes from Apollos 11, 12 and 14 are housed at a data recovery firm in Perth.

......

"The machine needs to be restored," Mr Holmes said. "It uses fan belts - we're looking for a 1972 Toyota Corolla - and other parts need to be replaced.

 

[rwatts]

IT looks as if it belongs aboard Dr Who's Tardis and needs a fan belt from a 36-year-old Toyota Corolla to get going, but experts are betting that an old refrigerator-sized tape recorder can help to analyse "fresh" data from NASA's Apollo missions to the moon.

Improbable as it sounds, the 1960s-vintage IBM729 Mark 5 and the 173 untouched magnet tapes from Apollos 11, 12 and 14 are housed at a data recovery firm in Perth.

I served my time on IBM 3420's, the successor to the 729. We had several 3420s that could handle 7 track tapes down to 200 bits per inch (most were 9 track, 6250bpi units). At least the 3420 was being made up until around 1987 making it a little easier to find. Besides they were solid-state, unlike the 729's vacuum tubes.

If those tapes are really "untouched" then I dont hold much hope for recovering much data from them. For data that was important to keep it was usual to copy to new tapes every couple of years.

It was quite common to re-analyse old trials data with new techniques, saving many millions of dollars.

Richard.

 

[EI]

I've been away from AFF for a while now, but am back in circulation again! To add a little to this thread, I'm currently working with SQ and EK through the company I work for in developing a Linux based AVOD system.

We're currently in development at the moment, but proof of concept systems that we have built have a 99% uptime and error free experience.

Over 5 weeks of full on testing (automated) we had to reset the system 7 times due to instability. And this is a basic version of what is to come.

At the moment, it is slated to be a software swap, but we're in talks with other airlines to develop new hardware also.

Cheers,

Dave

 

[JohnK]

Nothing wrong with Windows 3.1. Of course it was not as stable as Windows 3.11 but a good little operating system in it's day. Can't say the same for some versions of Windows 98, Windows Millenium or even Windows Vista.

 

[dot]

Nothing wrong with Windows 3.1. Of course it was not as stable as Windows 3.11 but a good little operating system in it's day. Can't say the same for some versions of Windows 98, Windows Millenium or even Windows Vista.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Not for me. I am glad to have put the days of Win3.1, Win386 and Win3.11 behind me.

 

[NM]

I skipped the whole Windows 3.1, Windows 98 thingy .... Went straight from OS/2 to Windows NT. And what a backward step that turned out to be!

 

[simongr]

Think yourself lucky you didnt get generously installed for free WindowsME - I still feel scarred by that experience. At least from there I had a quick dalliance at home with WinXP but am now safely closeted with OSX

 

[NM]

Think yourself lucky you didnt get generously installed for free WindowsME - I still feel scarred by that experience. At least from there I had a quick dalliance at home with WinXP but am now safely closeted with OSX

My combination of OS/2 and AIX served me very well at that stage of my life . I am indeed thankful to have missed the generosity you describe.

 

[Evan]

My combination of OS/2 and AIX served me very well at that stage of my life . I am indeed thankful to have missed the generosity you describe.

AIX still serves me well ! (As my servers) But i have also had HP/UX and Tru64 workstations before as well as AIX.
Long live the Unix's (and to a lesser extent Linux)
E