Following on from my recent article How To Dumb Down Your Tech Devices, in which I somehow omitted to mention the privacy issue, the other day I came across a BBC article, Security by Antiquity, which explores why older tech is sometimes safer from hackers. Not surprisingly, many groups of concerned technophiles still use outdated and obsolete systems – both hardware and software.
How Obsolete Would You Go?
Back in the dark ages, I owned a Nokia 9210 Communicator as pictured above, and it attracted a lot of interest in the pub, being way ahead of its time. Apparently some people still use them, refusing to buy a smartphone, even though the Symbian OS hasn’t been updated for decades. There also exist communities that were so enamoured with Eudora email that, even though it’s not been supported for many years, they continue to play with it through Hermes, described as ‘a worthy successor to the cult-classic Eudora 7 mail client developed by QUALCOMM.’
To be honest, I’m not that paranoid to revert to an ancient email system or a 25-year-old Nokia. However, there are many good reasons why individuals and even governments choose analogue over digital and real paper over a touch-screen.
Funny moment – a while ago I was examining a paper map and caught myself pinching my fingers on the paper to magnify the area. I then slapped myself furiously!
Some examples Of Security By Obsolescence
The general opinion of experts is that hackers go for the big numbers, not the 50 or 100 users who are stuck in a time warp, and recent examples prove that point – GTA6 anyone? Anyway, one good example is the Irish Aviation Authority recently deciding to keep ground-based radio navigation beacons because GPS is susceptible to jamming. In Ukraine, paper/laminated maps (how I miss those!) and compasses are often used by the military because you can’t hack or jam paper. Companies and institutions still use magnetic tape, and eLoran, a radio-based alternative to GPS, is becoming ever more popular.
Even some older commercial aircraft such as the 747 still use floppy disks for loading navigation databases and software updates because the disks are always offline, and many air traffic control infrastructures use legacy hardware because it’s more trusted. And at the other, more extreme end, I’ve witnessed traffic light control systems in Buenos Aires relying on ancient Pentium III PCs and a local Chinese mini-market still using a 20-year-old PC running Windows 98 – which I had to reinstall some ten years ago! Oh, those were the days!
Mind you, I still have some legacy hardware and PCs which I fire up from time to time for my own personal kicks, and my 25-year-old Creative Cambridge SoundWorks 4.1 desktop speakers still perform superbly!
Any thoughts on ancient systems? Please comment below.
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I don’t know if it qualifies as ancient but I still use a WIN7 Laptop and just received updates from MS last week!
My home automation system is based on 40 year old X-10 modules controlled by a 30 year old Stargate HA controller. I can even control it with Alexa by using a kludged collection of devices.
I’m impressed, Robin! Perhaps the BBC should talk to you…
I loved my Windows 97 but finally had to give up because it was locking up. I had seen my husband struggle with Windows 8 and was anxious about Windows 11, but so far it is working fine. On another note, I have an i-pad from 2017 and am struggling because it does not have the system capacity to run Yahoo email and Yahoo won’t sync unless I confirm my password which doesn’t work because it’s not an updated version… yes, a vicious circle! Fortunately, the i-pad will run Facebook and Libby (my library app) and Libby still syncs with Kindle books purchased on Amazon. Joy of joys! Haha Can you tell I do not like change??
Hi Jackie
Shame I missed Windows 97. Did I miss much? (I think you mean 95 or 98 lol)
And yes, Windows 8 was a complete mess!