Thread

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

297 points · 304 comments · mlaux

Aldipower · 1790420273 · focus · HN ↗
The Detusche Bahn still runs DOS and Window 3.11 in their ICE I trains! They searched for admins 2 years ago. <a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/software/windows/ms-dos-and-windows-311-still-run-train-dashboards-at-german-railway-company-listed-admin-job-for-30-year-old-operating-system" rel="nofollow">https://www.tomshardware.com/software/windows/ms-dos-and-win...
1. carefree-bob · 1790425816 · focus · HN ↗
  You should check out the NYC subway, which has electromechanical relays, cloth covered wiring, and pre-WW2 analogue panels.
  They do not even have an OS!
  1. driverdan · 1790436940 · focus · HN ↗
    That's far superior than running an outdated general computing platform. Electromechanical devices are simple, easy to understand, and replaceable. It may be harder to diagnose problems but with maintenance it will work forever.
    _trampeltier · 1790439654 · focus · HN ↗
    +1 from me for relais technique. It is easy to replace, even in 1000 years. Today PLCs are great and fun. We can do a lot of cool things with them. Just with the short and shorter life cycles, sometimes even less than 10 years. If something breaks you have to replace so much stuff for a small broken piece. Thats such a bummer in todays industrie automation.
  2. throwaway7356 · 1790445134 · focus · HN ↗
    Let me assure you that Deutsche Bahn also still operates about 500 mechanical signal boxes, about 100 are from pre-WW1. Not these fancy, modern electromechanical relays (which Deutsche Bahn of course also has).
    eqvinox · 1790542203 · focus · HN ↗
    > about 100 are from pre-WW1
    You're underselling it. The ex oldest operating signal box in Hörlkofen was finally removed from service less than a year ago, 2025-12-12.
    It entered service in 1899.

Open on Hacker News to reply ↗

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.