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Booted up in 1993, this server still runs – but not for much longer (2017)

193 points · 110 comments · doener

colonwqbang · 1790678244 · focus · HN ↗
When you think about it, 24 years is not such a long time for a machine to keep doing what it's supposed to be doing. It says something about our profession that we find a 24-year service life surprising.
There are airliners that have been in service for over 50 years.
1. streetfighter64 · 1790681325 · focus · HN ↗
  Airliners are up against physical limitations that don't incentivize upgrading. If there was an airliner that could fit millions of people and cost less than the 1980s version, I don't think you'd see many 80s aircraft around anymore, except in niece applications such as this computer. Perhaps now that we're at the end of Moore's law, you might see a larger amount of long-lived computers. But on the other hand, we'll probably find new ways to innovate in computing power.
  1. StilesCrisis · 1790691075 · focus · HN ↗
    Computers are still evolving rapidly. Instead of raw GHz increases, it will be things like tensor cores or other extremely-wide/GPU-type processing units. And of course, more RAM and more caches to feed them.

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