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Ask HN: What is the oldest computer that you still use for production?

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Re: Ask HN: What is the oldest computer that you still use for production?

#31
post #27

On an internship with the UK defense research agency my job involved the conversion of some ALGOL-68 simulation code into Java. I would be very surprised if the professor for whom I worked was not still hacking away at the ALGOL. No idea how old the machine he used was, but it would be quite happy in a museum...

I think you hold the record so far!

Re: Ask HN: What is the oldest computer that you still use for production?

#32

The oldest computer I use on a regular basis is the ECU in my 1990 Honda Accord. If that doesn't count (and I see no reason why it shouldn't!) then the oldest is probably a server which I think is about 6 years old now.

Embedded systems count. In that case my oldest is now 1993, from a relatively late Mini with an ECU in it. The ECU is just about the only part on that car that doesn't rust.

Re: Ask HN: What is the oldest computer that you still use for production?

#35

15 years old. It runs Win 95 and is used to build a version of one of our products that stops shipping this summer. It uses a 3rd party control that cannot be installed elsewhere as the vendor has gone out of business and the product has an aggressive anti-copying mechanism. It was the only machine remaining that could build the product (the others died or were upgraded by mistake over the years), and the replacement…

Scary!

Re: Ask HN: What is the oldest computer that you still use for production?

#36
post #34

At my first job some extremely expensive piece of spectrometry equipment was controlled by a Compaq Deskpro 386 (c. 1986). I left at the beginning of 2005 and it wouldn't surprise me if the Deskpro is still there.

That does not surprise me one bit, those old dekspros were nearly indestructible. I've seen one be pulled off a table in a warehouse by someone tripping over a cord, the case dented the concrete floor but the compaq never blinked. Amazing hardware. I think that's the line that really cemented the compaq = solid in people's heads. They also weighed quite a bit.

Re: Ask HN: What is the oldest computer that you still use for production?

#37
My uncle, who is a radio engineer, still occasionally boots up his TRS-80 Model 4 (1983) because it's got some piece of software he hasn't been able to find a suitable replacement for.

It looks so out of place sitting on his desk next to his flatscreen.

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