26 May
2016
26 May
'16
5:30 p.m.
-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] Namens Fred Cisin
Verzonden: donderdag 26 mei 2016 18:48
Aan: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Onderwerp: Re: vintage computers in active use
On Thu, 26 May 2016, Brent Hilpert wrote:
> A friend notice this in the news, I heard it mentioned on the radio this
morning
too:
support
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36385839
extract:
The report said that the Department of Defence systems that co-
ordinated
> intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear bombers and tanker aircraft
systems,
"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.
And, THAT is why it MUST be replaced immediately by "modern" hardware and
software, to put an end to that. Windows10 can change that.
"According to the report, the US treasury also needed to upgrade its 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"."
And, THAT is the reasoning for replacement?
Not even an understanding of what assembly language IS.
"Nobody programs in assembly language any more, nor ever will again" -
Clancy/Harvey
"Eight-inch floppy disks date back to the early days of computer systems"
The author is unaware of the many decades of computers, including
military,
prior to floppy disks. Mag tape? EAM (punch-cards,
etc.)?
But doesn't that be an implementation of the famous "don't ask don't
tell
strategy" ?
-Rik