3 ms·

Embedded, low-power, passively cooled i386 (or compatible) have a pretty long lifetime, 30 years at least. So MSDOS, which is an operating system which can run

• Dylan16807 12y ago
  If it's embedded you look at the lifetime of the entire unit. If the machine lasts 30 years then yes, you should be supporting the whole thing. Maybe not 2x, maybe closer to (lifetime + years between OS releases + 2 year margin). And when I say 'support' in the context of embedded code I don't mean much. It doesn't need new features. It should generally not be on a public network and doesn't need much in the way of bugfixes. Just keep it running. After a few years it's likely you won't need to patch it again ever. But if it needs a patch, make one. When I picture someone installing a new operating system on the lathe they've had for 20 years my eyes are wide in horror.