 Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me. |
Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : End of an era
| Author | Message | ||||
TassyJim Guru  Joined: 07/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 6283 |
20 years ago I took over the care of a local business’s computer system. It consisted of 5 Windows 3.11 PC’s running specialised management software. I only had to look after the hardware. Over the years, we replaced all the 486’s with Pentium 166’s and a couple of P3’s and one of the PC’s was changed to Windows 98 to suit some other software. We kept the netbeui network in place. You can get netbeui drivers for Windows XP so I was able to plug it when required without having to do too much in Windows 3.11 The backup system went through many changes as the data base grew in size but the owner couldn’t be persuade to upgrade his old software and the Windows 3.11 network. The proprietary software didn’t like W98 much and certainly not anything newer. A few years ago, I managed to persuade them to change the network from coax (10 base T) to Ethernet. That made a big improvement to the performance. A couple of months ago, due to management changes, the old system was totally replaced with an all new singing and dancing system. I was pleased because I was the only person around who knew anything about W3.11 and I could finally retire. The new hardware support is from Brisbane, a couple of thousand kM to the north and the software is run from New Zealand, a couple of thousand Km to the east. They had to ask me to help remove the 20 year old systems. The new system is a handful of Intel compute on a stick PC’s running W10. These are amazing – a full Windows PC the size of an Explore 64 module. I groaned when I saw them using WiFi and all I got was a glare in response. A week later they had got rid of the WiFi network they used and gone back to reliable Ethernet. They had to buy another PC for reception because one was no longer fast enough to do the job as well as the 20 year old system. I still can’t retire fully because I still have to sort out the stupid ‘modern’ ideas they try to use with their Windows 10 system. It is not really Windows 10 that is the problem, it is the ‘cloud based’ accounting which relies on fast, reliable internet – still a dream for much of OZ. There are some glaring obvious changes that could be made to make the system more usable but I have to tread carefully. Hint rather than advise is the best I can do. They still have one of the Windows 3.11 systems running for when they need information in a hurry. Jim VK7JH MMedit |
||||
twofingers Guru Joined: 02/06/2014 Location: GermanyPosts: 1593 |
Thanks Jim, that makes me smile! 
Michael BTW This reminds me to make a backup copy from my old WIN1.0 floppy disks.  causality ≠correlation ≠coincidence |
||||
| srnet Senior Member  Joined: 08/08/2014 Location: United KingdomPosts: 164 |
10BaseT is 10MHz Ethernet over twisted pair cabling. 10Base2 is 10MHz Ethernet over co-ax. $50SAT is Silent but probably still working. For information on LoRa visit http://www.loratracker.uk/ |
||||
MicroBlocks Guru Joined: 12/05/2012 Location: ThailandPosts: 2209 |
I haven't got a single piece of cloud based software that is important for me. Just some storage and a few virtual machines. There is a lot of software that is great but use the 'cloud' for identification and storage. Without a connection it is completely useless. It is mainly done out of laziness and a easy type of protection against software piracy. The main problem i have with it is that once you use it, build your processes around it, then you subject yourself to the software company. If they go under, and they go under very often then all is lost. There is now even a lasercutter for sale that depends on a cloud connection. This is even more insane as now you have hardware that does not function without a connection. Not good for the one who sells the printer either. The 'cloud' software is free for the user, but it is not for them. So they created a perpetual cost that goes higher and higher with every sale. I give it a few more years and then this cloud (like the older mainframe) idea is again replaced with stand alone computers. Ah well, it keeps everyone busy. I can compare it with lots of years ago and it is only getting better for media consumption, not really for other kinds of regular uses. Microblocks. Build with logic. |
||||
 Print this page |
 |
The Back Shed's forum code is written, and hosted, in Australia. | © JAQ Software 2025 |
