vintage computers in active use

[Rik Bos]

> -----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:
> > 	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
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.
> 
> 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
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"."
> 
> 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