4 ms·

About a month ago I attempted to restore a DOS-based industrial HMI panel that we shipped mid-1995. The 2 MiB of proprietary custom 72-pin SIMM flash memory ha

About a month ago I attempted to restore a DOS-based industrial HMI panel that we shipped mid-1995. The 2 MiB of proprietary custom 72-pin SIMM flash memory had gone corrupt, and neither us nor the panel's OEM possessed the original software for restoration. We did have a later version of the software from 1997, but it needed a whopping 4 MiB to install. The machine was in active production until about two years ago, according to the customer. I fully expect most of the systems that we are shipping now to be run for the next twenty years as well. Until security issues start losing customers buckets of money, they're not going to care one bit.

coldtea 9y ago
>* About a month ago I attempted to restore a DOS-based industrial HMI panel that we shipped mid-1995. The 2 MiB of proprietary custom 72-pin SIMM flash memory had gone corrupt, and neither us nor the panel's OEM possessed the original software for restoration. We did have a later version of the software from 1997, but it needed a whopping 4 MiB to install.* Sure, and there are COBOL systems running since the 70s. But I asked for such an example in web technologies. The one described above isn't. >I fully expect most of the systems that we are shipping now to be run for the next twenty years as well. Then don't build them on modern web technologies. All kinds of things can change or be deprecated.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- snerbles 9y ago
  It is still not unreasonable to believe that such systems exist, and those systems will become more prevalent over time. An EtherNet/IP-controlled servo drive with an HTTP configuration page installed in 2008 will likely still be running in 2028. > All kinds of things can change or be deprecated. That's cute. If you truly believe a simple declaration of deprecation will stop the use of something, I have some oceanfront property in Afghanistan to sell you.
gmueckl 9y ago
We have similar stories here. Heavy industry is concerned only with keeping their production lines up and running. They will do amazing and scary things if it helps them keeping production up. These people have absolutely no idea of security or even IT. They want to bolt and wire devices together so that they work. All the cool tech hidden inside is way beyond their understanding for the most part.

coldtea 9y ago

>* About a month ago I attempted to restore a DOS-based industrial HMI panel that we shipped mid-1995. The 2 MiB of proprietary custom 72-pin SIMM flash memory had gone corrupt, and neither us nor the panel's OEM possessed the original software for restoration. We did have a later version of the software from 1997, but it needed a whopping 4 MiB to install.* Sure, and there are COBOL systems running since the 70s. But I asked for such an example in web technologies. The one described above isn't. >I fully expect most of the systems that we are shipping now to be run for the next twenty years as well. Then don't build them on modern web technologies. All kinds of things can change or be deprecated.

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
snerbles 9y ago
It is still not unreasonable to believe that such systems exist, and those systems will become more prevalent over time. An EtherNet/IP-controlled servo drive with an HTTP configuration page installed in 2008 will likely still be running in 2028. > All kinds of things can change or be deprecated. That's cute. If you truly believe a simple declaration of deprecation will stop the use of something, I have some oceanfront property in Afghanistan to sell you.

gmueckl 9y ago

We have similar stories here. Heavy industry is concerned only with keeping their production lines up and running. They will do amazing and scary things if it helps them keeping production up. These people have absolutely no idea of security or even IT. They want to bolt and wire devices together so that they work. All the cool tech hidden inside is way beyond their understanding for the most part.