Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

I can't believe that the state still uses DOS

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • I can't believe that the state still uses DOS

    I just heard on KHNL News 8 that the state still uses DOS to maintain the data for roads and stuff.

    I thought my teacher was fibbing when he told us that when he used to work for a tech support company, he passed by an old lady who was still using DOS in the basements of the capitol building (but after she retired, they replaced her computer).

    I guess if something's not broken, you better not fix it. (but then, that's why our city is behind in all of the pothole repairs.)
    How'd I get so white and nerdy?

  • #2
    Re: I can't believe that the state still uses DOS

    Yup. It takes up-front money, and forward thinking, to make the effort to upgrade big databases.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: I can't believe that the state still uses DOS

      Could be a lot of reasons why they still using DOS based programs to do what they have to do. While money (or the lack of it) tops the list, it could be the program that they are using to keep track of road repairs was made by a company that no longer exist and whoever they contacted to get it working to current operating systems and hardware was planning on charging more than what the Department of Transportation could afford.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: I can't believe that the state still uses DOS

        I used to use a DOS-based system based on IBM's Orcom system. When Orcom went to a GUI system built on a Windows platform the data integrated itself pretty well with minor field entries that needed some tweaking.

        One thing good about DOS such as MS-DOS is that you know what's happening to your data. Windows made using a computer fairly easy to understand by putting the hard work behind the scenes and letting the user use simple utility programs as opposed to address line entries.

        Thank god we're not still in Basic or Fortran or Pascal! I used to program computers in machine language with a Hexadecimal keypad. Each 25-bit word represented one line of programming with the 25th bit designated for parity. Try programming 25-bit hexadecimal lines without the aid of a utility!
        Last edited by craigwatanabe; July 1, 2005, 11:08 PM.
        Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: I can't believe that the state still uses DOS

          Or maybe somebody in the DOT is still THIS close to finishing Zork III. That's my theory. "Hello, Sailor!"
          But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
          GrouchyTeacher.com

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: I can't believe that the state still uses DOS

            Originally posted by craigwatanabe
            ...hexadecimal lines without the aid of a utility!
            Hey, I used to program some in IBM 370 Assembly Language(hexadecimal)! I didn't have a keypad just a hex calculator. Hello fellow dinosaur.

            Most people would be surprised at what governments (and even some businesses) are still using in the way of hardware and software, at least 4 years ago when I was still doing that kind of stuff.

            My farm - Kona Mist Coffee

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: I can't believe that the state still uses DOS

              I know people who still use IBM AS/400 equipment, which runs on RPG. I suspect that many of the hotels still use the mid-range boxes, unless HIS (company called Hotel Information Systems) has switched at great expense to Windows/C++ stuff.

              Added: I just looked at HIS. They have two Windows products, one for under 125 rooms and one for up to 150 rooms. Thus, neither would work for most of the major hotels in Waikiki. The Ilikai has 700+ rooms, for example, so it's probably still where it was in 1993 when I left there, using two IBM S/34s or possibly an AS/400.
              Last edited by Linkmeister; July 2, 2005, 03:36 PM. Reason: Curiosity made me look at HIS
              http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: I can't believe that the state still uses DOS

                You know what, I just realized that there's a lot of geeks here.

                If the world were like this forum, then it'd be an easier place for technicians (though, we maybe out of jobs)
                How'd I get so white and nerdy?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: I can't believe that the state still uses DOS

                  I use quite a few command-line applications under Linux, and every now and then when I want something done on a Windows machine, I jump into DOS and do it. For those who used Unix and DOS before Windows made computer's idiot friendly, it's much faster to just type the command.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: I can't believe that the state still uses DOS

                    The AS/400 system by IBM is still alive and well and has gone thru several revisions to be adapted to GUI formats. I remember Lenscrafters using that system for it's CIS (Customer Information System). Because it's a propietory system with dedicated dumb terminals is the reason why it's still in existance. It's cumbersome to change or modify certain fields and requires a full-time IS person to maintain it.

                    But oh those Hexidecimals 0-9 and A-F to create 16-bit binary. With Nixie tube displays, talk about 3D graphics!

                    Most people don't know the what the "exe" in .exe means other than execute. In the archaic days of computing (I progammed 25-bit computers called Cenpac) exe meant executive and "Booting up" meant to load the Bootstrap utility to run the computer then you ran the Executive utility.

                    Since everything was done in serial binary form, you ran a shift register check to make sure the logic gates flipped to a binary "1" or flopped to a binary "0". Today it's called a RAM check.
                    Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

                    Comment

                    Working...
                    X