Ask HN: What's the oldest piece of software still in use? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What's the oldest piece of software still in use?

#81

Post by Someone » Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 7:29 PM UTC

VLM wrote: post #58

mathgorges wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm doing an internship at a mainframe shop right now. I took a look into it and the oldest macro I could find that I use semi regularly is SYS1.MACLIB(DCBD). A utility for working with data control blocks which dates back to 1977, putting it at 36 years old. There are definitely older programs on the system, but I'm not sure how often they're used.

I bet IEFBR14 beats it. I also think it wins in the "smallest number of patches per year for actively used software" category.

And (apocryphally) "largest number of patches per byte" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEFBR14#History_from_the_RISKS_...)

Re: Ask HN: What's the oldest piece of software still in use?

#82

Post by Zuider » Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 9:20 PM UTC

31reasons wrote: post #77

If we consider all forms of software. DNA is the oldest.

RNA is older.

Re: Ask HN: What's the oldest piece of software still in use?

#83

Post by msh » Fri, Aug 02, 2013, 6:36 PM UTC

There are still PDP-11's out there running nuclear power plants:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/06/19/nuke_plants_to_keep_...

Re: Ask HN: What's the oldest piece of software still in use?

#84

Post by abdulqabiz » Fri, Aug 02, 2013, 7:31 PM UTC

Ashuu wrote: post #60

Turbo C 3.0 is still used in many schools and colleges!

I was about to say that, thankfully I searched for Turbo before posting.

I know many who use many years old DOS based Tally, accounting software.

Re: Ask HN: What's the oldest piece of software still in use?

#85

Post by protomyth » Mon, Aug 05, 2013, 5:02 AM UTC

spydum wrote: post #70

protomyth wrote: post #22

When I use Windows, I tend to use PFE as a text editor.

I also used to be an avid PFE32 user, but I finally gave in to Notepad++, and have not regretted it.. you may want to check it out!

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't really use Windows anymore, but will keep it in mind. I do wish I could find a simple text editor with PFE32 like macro record and templates for OS X.