4 ms·

I was recently amazed to find out that Windows 95 is still used in an industrial automation setting. The company uses the NetBEUI[0] protocol and Windows 95 is

I was recently amazed to find out that Windows 95 is still used in an industrial automation setting. The company uses the NetBEUI[0] protocol and Windows 95 is apparently the only version to support it. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetBIOS_Frames_protocol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetBIOS_Frames_protocol

anon_cow1111 8y ago
In the last job I had, Win 95/98 was on a computer used to send programs to a 20-ton piece of metal working equipment. Of course, you had to drop into DOS to use the necessary software. Transfer rate was around 900 baud. The computer that actually ran the machine consisted of a white monochrome monitor and a desk-sized cabinet full of control boards. The cabinet had an air conditioner attached to it and had trouble running on hot days. Trivia about this machine: on the corner of one control board there was a single, green indicator LED with a broken lead. It was bent over so the broken part would still contact the solder joint and light up. If at any point it stopped making contact with the circuit, the entire machine locked up or threw random error codes until you wiggled it back into place. "We'll fix it later"
- Sileni 8y ago
  The silver lining to jobs like that is after a year or two, you're the single, solitary person in the world that can keep the machine running as expected. Performance reviews become a breeze after that. "We've been looking at your performance these last few months, and it seems you've stopped taking on new responsibilities..." "The machine is running." "Yes but..." "I have other offers." "Never mind, carry on. Here's your raise."
  - anon_cow1111 8y ago
    Oh, it's great when it works out like that, but this place wasn't worth staying with long term. I should clarify; I was a grease monkey/operator, not tech support. You would never break 15usd/hr even as a foreman. The slogan was literally "Run it till it dies". The machine next to me was even older, and had a crash/down time of 1-2 hours every 9 hour day. Not kidding. The floor offices still used terminal computers in 2014-ish. The one in my depart finally crapped out (screen flicker due to the flyback cracking a solder joint). Easy fix, I didn't say anything hoping they'd buy a damn desktop like a normal company. Nope, they special ordered a new/refurb terminal for god knows how much money (I think it was a televideo 9xx or something). I could go on, but you get the idea.
tarellel 8y ago
At a college I worked at a few years ago in one of the larger lecture class rooms. There was a Windows3.1 PC mounted in the podium/lecture counter. It was used primarily for controlling the levels of lights, dropping down the screen and projector, and a few other menial tasks. I don't believe it was wired into the network and don't believe it was ever replaced.
- std_throwawayay 8y ago
  It could easily be replaced by an electron app running a QEMU in JavaScript emulating an virtual machine running Windows 3.11 on an Rasperry PI terminal connected to a cloud server located at the edge for maximum performance paid for by real-time Bitcoin micropayments.
gsich 8y ago
Your link says otherwise. XP can do it too. Might just be a software thing
- rubenbe 8y ago
  Unfortunately the links that would describe how to do it are no longer available.
  - gsich 8y ago
    The files are on the XP CD (with install instructions). This can be installed in the settings menu where you also find IPv4, IPv6 ... are located. Other software (Vmware or Virtualbox etc.) also install drivers in the same location, although automated of course.
selune 8y ago
Reminded me of this https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/7xakd9/windows-31-is-still-alive-and-it-just-killed-a-french-airport https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/7xakd9/windows-31-is-sti...

anon_cow1111 8y ago

In the last job I had, Win 95/98 was on a computer used to send programs to a 20-ton piece of metal working equipment. Of course, you had to drop into DOS to use the necessary software. Transfer rate was around 900 baud. The computer that actually ran the machine consisted of a white monochrome monitor and a desk-sized cabinet full of control boards. The cabinet had an air conditioner attached to it and had trouble running on hot days. Trivia about this machine: on the corner of one control board there was a single, green indicator LED with a broken lead. It was bent over so the broken part would still contact the solder joint and light up. If at any point it stopped making contact with the circuit, the entire machine locked up or threw random error codes until you wiggled it back into place. "We'll fix it later"

Sileni 8y ago
The silver lining to jobs like that is after a year or two, you're the single, solitary person in the world that can keep the machine running as expected. Performance reviews become a breeze after that. "We've been looking at your performance these last few months, and it seems you've stopped taking on new responsibilities..." "The machine is running." "Yes but..." "I have other offers." "Never mind, carry on. Here's your raise."
- anon_cow1111 8y ago
  Oh, it's great when it works out like that, but this place wasn't worth staying with long term. I should clarify; I was a grease monkey/operator, not tech support. You would never break 15usd/hr even as a foreman. The slogan was literally "Run it till it dies". The machine next to me was even older, and had a crash/down time of 1-2 hours every 9 hour day. Not kidding. The floor offices still used terminal computers in 2014-ish. The one in my depart finally crapped out (screen flicker due to the flyback cracking a solder joint). Easy fix, I didn't say anything hoping they'd buy a damn desktop like a normal company. Nope, they special ordered a new/refurb terminal for god knows how much money (I think it was a televideo 9xx or something). I could go on, but you get the idea.

tarellel 8y ago

At a college I worked at a few years ago in one of the larger lecture class rooms. There was a Windows3.1 PC mounted in the podium/lecture counter. It was used primarily for controlling the levels of lights, dropping down the screen and projector, and a few other menial tasks. I don't believe it was wired into the network and don't believe it was ever replaced.

std_throwawayay 8y ago
It could easily be replaced by an electron app running a QEMU in JavaScript emulating an virtual machine running Windows 3.11 on an Rasperry PI terminal connected to a cloud server located at the edge for maximum performance paid for by real-time Bitcoin micropayments.

gsich 8y ago

Your link says otherwise. XP can do it too. Might just be a software thing

rubenbe 8y ago
Unfortunately the links that would describe how to do it are no longer available.
- gsich 8y ago
  The files are on the XP CD (with install instructions). This can be installed in the settings menu where you also find IPv4, IPv6 ... are located. Other software (Vmware or Virtualbox etc.) also install drivers in the same location, although automated of course.

selune 8y ago

Reminded me of this https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/7xakd9/windows-31-is-still-alive-and-it-just-killed-a-french-airport https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/7xakd9/windows-31-is-sti...