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The world could run on older hardware if software optimization was a priority

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837 points turrini | 2 comments | 13 May 25 10:31 UTC | HN request time: 0.497s | source
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freddie_mercury ◴[13 May 25 12:01 UTC] No.43971929[source]▶
The world DOES run on older hardware.

How new do you think the CPU in your bank ATM or car's ECU is?

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1. KolmogorovComp ◴[13 May 25 12:28 UTC] No.43972160[source]▶
Powerplants and planes still run on 80s hardware.
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2. Jtsummers ◴[13 May 25 15:23 UTC] No.43973952[source]▶
Modern planes do not, and many older planes have been retrofitted, in whole or in part, with more modern computers.

Some of the specific embedded systems (like the sensors that feed back into the main avionics systems) may still be using older CPUs if you squint, but it's more likely a modern version of those older designs.