It works, and it’s cheap, and simple. and if one breaks? so what? It’s just got a couple of spreadsheets for one client, I can restore from the last PC that had the data. It’s almost foolproof.
We actually have a Windows 3.11 machine in my office running monthly reports form DataEase Express.
A colleague asked me to help with a machine the other day that turned out to be a 3.11 box. His actual question was, “what the f–k is this?!” – he’d never seen one before.
Without it we can’t fault find the code in the GEM80 PLC (programmable logic controller) that controls almost every aspect of our flour mill!
GEM80 was a popular PLC system in the 80’s & 90’s (other PLC’s are made by Allen Bradley, Omron, Siemens etc )
From Wiki “More recently, PLCs are programmed using application software on personal computers. The computer is connected to the PLC through Ethernet, RS-232, RS-485 or RS-422 cabling. The programming software allows entry and editing of the ladder-style logic. Generally the software provides functions for debugging and troubleshooting the PLC software, for example, by highlighting portions of the logic to show current status during operation or via simulation. The software will upload and download the PLC program, for backup and restoration purposes.
Example
As an example, say a facility needs to store water in a tank. The water is drawn from the tank by another system, as needed, and our example system must manage the water level in the tank.
Using only digital signals, the PLC has two digital inputs from float switches (Low Level and High Level). When the water level is above the switch it closes a contact and passes a signal to an input. The PLC uses a digital output to open and close the inlet valve into the tank.
When the water level drops enough so that the Low Level float switch is off (down), the PLC will open the valve to let more water in. Once the water level rises enough so that the High Level switch is on (up), the PLC will shut the inlet to stop the water from overflowing. This rung is an example of seal-in (latching) logic. The output is sealed in until some condition breaks the circuit.”
Grand dad’s early 1900s oil can
1964 Marlin .22
1972 Husquvarna 77 Chainsaw
1992 Raleigh Dyna tech -[upgraded over the years]
1995 LR Defender
1997 LR Discovery
Main computer is 4 years old running XP, so is old in computer terms. Still run Cardfile from my old 3.1 machine, Autosketch6 from way back and MS Office 2000.
I don’t need them to hold massive amounts of data, just a few excel spreadsheets for each client. My staff can work on it, save changes, move it to a difference PC whatever.
It works, and it’s cheap, and simple. and if one breaks? so what? It’s just got a couple of spreadsheets for one client, I can restore from the last PC that had the data. It’s almost foolproof.
I hope your client spreadsheets don’t contain any confidential information 😯
A Pioneer amp & 8ohm Pioneer surround sound speakers provide the sound system for my xbox console, I also use a pair of pioneer headphones to keep noise down when necessary. All Pioneer items were brought by myself in 1984
I use a vice that I bought from a bike shop that was closing down 40 years ago. It was original equipment for the shop which opened in 1890 something. I also got a spoke threader from them too.
Clearing out my grandfathers house after he died, we found loads of old radios. He’d been a radio operator in the Navy during the war and even in his slightly mad old age he could still hold fluent conversations in Morse code. In the little box room and in the shed must have been about 30 radios from 1940’s through to 1990’s, huge reel to reel tape decks and a Betamax video recorder which was about twice the size of an average microwave and considerably heavier.
My little Emco lathe/mill is about as old as my dad, but it’s ideal for my limited purposes and shows no signs of wearing out… Looked around and it looks like some newer lathes could be better but there’s nothing as, well, lovable 😆 It’s like a little toy that just happens to cut metal.
Also got a very nice Thor 2-faced hammer which is absolutely black with age, I can’t date it exactly but my grandad stole it from the RAF after the war (along with about a thousand other tools, every one of which is now broken or lost other than the hammer) You can still buy the exact same hammer today, which I like. Hammer technology has not moved on!