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Ask HN: Who's still keeping a DOS machine up because the business depends on it?

297 points · 304 comments · mlaux

  1. 83457 · · focus · HN ↗
    My dad ran a commercial 2-way radio business. There were multiple radios with programming software that would not work on anything above a 386 and DOS. He had a couple computers from the late-80s running for nearly 25 years, though I think he had to replace one of them with another of similar vintage. Also, had a 486 that he used for customer notes in WordPerfect up to about 2015.

    I suspect he could have found a way to use a newer computer, but if it ain’t broke…

    1. Froedlich · · focus · HN ↗
      I still have a circa-1996 486 running Windows 95. It has an EPROM burner card and software that I use to reprogram the ECM in my car.

      The cost of upgrading to modern software and hardware is substantial, plus the learning curve for something I only do rarely nowadays.

      1. 83457 · · focus · HN ↗
        Now that I think of it, some of the software was for Motorola radios. He was not a licensed Motorola shop (Kenwood), so I believe getting more modern software would have been difficult or very expensive, if even possible.
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