
US is still running nuclear program with floppy disks - empressplay
http://us.cnn.com/2016/05/26/us/pentagon-floppy-disks-nuclear/index.html
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detaro
already discussed here:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11772966](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11772966)

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jgrahamc
Who cares? This technology works for them. Key quote from the BBC version of
this article [1] (the CNN one is crap)

 _" This system remains in use because, in short, it still works," Pentagon
spokeswoman Lt Col Valerie Henderson told the AFP news agency._

I assume that IBM is happy to service the computer they are using. There's a
hell of a lot of 'old' technology that we are still using that's not
computing. Why freak out about old computers?

[1] [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-
canada-36385839](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-36385839)

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informatimago
Well all care, because it costs the US DOD 60 billion a year to maintain old
technology. Thos 60 billions come from tax payers all over the world. Indeed,
not only the US tax payer must pay, but also foreigners have to pay local
taxes forwarded to the USA thanks to the extraterriorality of their laws, and
the fines they put on non-US corporations doing business outside of the USA.

So whoever you are, where ever you live, parts of your taxes or of the price
you're paying for the products you buy goes toward those 60 billions wasted on
ancient technology.

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Nokinside
Replacing safety critical systems is not cheap. Don't touch it if it works is
usually good policy. Instead of "haha how outdated" how about "awesome we are
still alive".

[http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/677436.pdf](http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/677436.pdf)

>Yes -The agency plans to update its data storage solutions, port expansion
processors, portable terminals, and desktop terminals by the end of fiscal
year 2017.

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doctorshady
"In addition, Department of the Treasury uses assembly language code—a
computer language initially used in the 1950s and typically tied to the
hardware for which it was developed."

Do I even have to put a sarcasm tag here when I say my heart is breaking for
them? I'm almost at a loss of words.

Don't get me wrong - I appreciate them being vigilant, but I think the GAO's
criticism isn't entirely merited here. Particularly for the Department of
Defense; if the thing that controls your country's nuclear missiles works
reliably and consistently doesn't get compromised, it's probably a good idea
to let it keep doing that.

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jmnicolas
I wonder where they find new floppies, we have a hard time finding the 3
inches here ...

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informatimago
That's where the 60 billions go to: maintaining old manufacturing capacity.

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herbst
On the same note: US is still running a nuclear program.

