Tech dinosaurs: 8 surprising relics in modern use

The relentless march of technology sees us upgrading our gadgets every few years – iPhones, processors, graphics cards – with obsolete hardware often resold or discarded. Yet, many older devices remain surprisingly functional and even essential. Here are eight examples of vintage tech still holding its own:

Table of Contents

• Retro Computers Mining Bitcoin
• A Reliable Mechanic's Assistant Since the '80s
• Vintage Tech as a Bakery POS System
• Outdated Systems Managing Nuclear Arsenals
• Windows XP Powers Multi-Billion Dollar Aircraft Carrier
• Critical Airport Infrastructure Fails Due to Legacy Software
• Classic Hardware in Cutting-Edge Research
• Nostalgia's Enduring Influence

Retro Computers Mining Bitcoin

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A Commodore 64 (1982) was shown to mine Bitcoin, albeit incredibly slowly (0.3 hashes per second). An RTX 3080 GPU, for comparison, manages 100 million hashes per second. Mining a single Bitcoin on the C64 would take roughly a billion years. Similarly, a YouTuber used a Nintendo Game Boy (1989) to mine Bitcoin via a Raspberry Pi Pico, achieving 0.8 hashes per second – still astronomically slower than modern ASIC miners.

A Reliable Mechanic's Assistant Since the '80s

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A Commodore 64C in Gdansk, Poland, has aided mechanics for over 30 years, even surviving a flood. This 1 MHz, 64 KB machine flawlessly runs custom software for drive shaft calculations, showcasing the longevity of robust, simple technology.

Vintage Tech as a Bakery POS System

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An Indiana bakery has used a Commodore 64 as its POS system since the 1980s. This "breadbox" functions reliably as an online cash register, proving more resistant to software update issues than modern systems. Only the keyboard labels have needed updating.

Outdated Systems Managing Nuclear Arsenals

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The US manages its nuclear arsenal using a 1976 IBM computer and 8-inch floppy disks (approx. 80 KB storage). While modernization is planned, the system's reliability ensures its continued use. Similarly, German Brandenburg-class frigates use 8-inch floppy disks, with upgrades focusing on emulators rather than complete replacement.

Windows XP Powers Multi-Billion Dollar Aircraft Carrier

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The HMS Queen Elizabeth, a multi-billion dollar aircraft carrier, runs on Windows XP (support ended 2014). While the Royal Navy claims security is maintained, this reliance on outdated software is noteworthy. Similarly, British Vanguard-class submarines use Windows XP for missile management, remaining offline for security until planned updates in 2028.

Critical Airport Infrastructure Fails Due to Legacy Software

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In 2015, Paris Orly Airport suffered an outage when a Windows 3.1 (1992) system crashed, halting weather data provision and causing flight delays.

Classic Hardware in Cutting-Edge Research

Retro computers, such as the Commodore 64, find applications in education and research, teaching programming fundamentals and simulating basic experiments due to their simplicity.

Nostalgia's Enduring Influence

Many organizations maintain legacy systems due to familiarity, established workflows, or the cost of upgrades.

These examples highlight the surprising resilience of older technology across various sectors. From cryptocurrency mining to national defense, legacy systems demonstrate the enduring value of simplicity and reliability, even as modernization efforts continue.