> Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond wrote : > I don't mean to be criticising in any way, but running services on obsolete > operating systems is a risk in itself, if the computer is connected to the > Internet.
We are well-aware of the risks. None of the production computers have Internet access. Most of the time, there is no DNS either, the USB ports (if recent enough) are disabled, there usually is a mouse or trackball or lightpen but not always a keyboard. Somehow, that data will eventually end up somewhere on an Internet portal that customers can access, but there are complex processes in between. > Everything has a sell by date. All hardware becomes obsolete too. We are painfully aware of that, too. And we have spares dating back to the 486 area. We machine or 3D print some parts. We replace surface-mount ICs if required. I'm trying to VM these, but they often require some proprietary hardware that can't even be VM'ed. Because everyone has asked, why don't I just e-waste these pieces of antique junk ? because they drive a multi-ton multi-million tool that will take a year to replace with a team of two dozen people. Just the man hours are several hundred thousand dollars or possibly over a million, not to mention the cost of the tool. And even if the new tool runs on newer hardware and OS that could support IV6, the proprietary app probably won't in the first place. Michel.
