US defence still using assembly language - cos it works
Discussion
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-36385839
If it works why try to fix it?
If it works why try to fix it?
beeb said:
The report said that the Department of Defence systems that co-ordinated intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear bombers and tanker support aircraft "runs on an IBM Series-1 Computer - a 1970s computing system - and uses eight-inch floppy disks".
"This system remains in use because, in short, it still works," Pentagon spokeswoman Lt Col Valerie Henderson told the AFP news agency.
"However, to address obsolescence concerns, the floppy drives are scheduled to be replaced with secure digital devices by the end of 2017."
She added: "Modernisation across the entire Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications enterprise remains ongoing."
The report said that the Pentagon was planning to fully replace the system by the end of 2020.
According to the report, the US treasury also needed to upgrade its systems, which it said was using "assembly language code - a computer language initially used in the 1950s and typically tied to the hardware for which it was developed".
"This system remains in use because, in short, it still works," Pentagon spokeswoman Lt Col Valerie Henderson told the AFP news agency.
"However, to address obsolescence concerns, the floppy drives are scheduled to be replaced with secure digital devices by the end of 2017."
She added: "Modernisation across the entire Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications enterprise remains ongoing."
The report said that the Pentagon was planning to fully replace the system by the end of 2020.
According to the report, the US treasury also needed to upgrade its systems, which it said was using "assembly language code - a computer language initially used in the 1950s and typically tied to the hardware for which it was developed".
NNH said:
Very serious wedge: there are some rather elderly programmers who carry out much of the system upkeep for the National Grid, and they can pretty much name their price!
I didn't realise that Fortran was becoming prized though - I may need to revise my university notes.
I didn't realise that Fortran was becoming prized though - I may need to revise my university notes.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-Vintage-Computer-Punc...
dxg said:
HD Adam said:
Don't see a problem myself 
Joshua: You are a hard man to reach. Could not find you in Seattle and no terminal is in operation at your classified address.David Lightman: [typing] What classified address?
Joshua: D.O.D. pension files indicate current mailing as: Dr. Robert Hume, a.k.a. Stephen W. Falken, 5 Tall Cedar Road, Goose Island, Oregon 97...
One of the best films of the 80ies!
RobDickinson said:
even worse their launch code was 0000000 for 20 years...
http://gizmodo.com/for-20-years-the-nuclear-launch...
And these days I cant even pay the electric bill without trying to remember where Ive hidden the bit of paper with the obscure passwordhttp://gizmodo.com/for-20-years-the-nuclear-launch...
ETA Oh it's Electric lol
Sshhh dont tell anyone in case they want to pay the bill for me
There has to be a better way and if having effectively no password worked for 20 years wheres the problem?
Otispunkmeyer said:
Guvernator said:
Almost every company\client I've worked at has had at least one legacy system running on 20+ year old hardware\software that people are just too scared to replace. This includes big banks, multi-nationals, the works. Hell the majority of the worlds ATM's still run on Windows XP as far as I am aware and that's 15 years old. It's actually pretty rife.
Local Co-op just had new self checkouts installed. They're awful. They run on XP.Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff