Can you remember those old computers from the 80s and 90s?
Well, if you do, you probably know about these outdated little pieces of tech. And they're so nostalgic; floppy disks! While they're still represented in some computer programs, representing the save button, they're all but antiquated in modern times, unless you're an enthusiast.
Well, that's not strictly true. Up until now, at least.
As reported by Dexerto, the US Air Traffic Control has made what seems like a pretty long overdue upgrade to their systems. That's right - they were previously using floppy disk storage in order to keep their files.
And they still to this day remain pretty darn critical to flights and how they operate. Per the outlet, "the outdated storage devices are still used to handle weather data and other critical information" at several hundred air traffic control facilities across the nation.
And that's not the only piece of outdated tech, either. They have had to rely on eBay-sourced parts to maintain their fleet of now-ancient Compaq computers.
But now, things are changing - they say that these old systems will be phased out "by 2028".
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An Air Traffic Control Spokesperson Commented on the Outdated Tech
Bryan Bedford, an administrator for the FAA, spoke out in a statement about exactly what this means for air traffic control.
"We're moving away from outdated, manual processes and replacing technology that once relied on floppy disks with a modern system that allows controllers to instantly share critical flight alerts, restricted airspace schedules and pilot reports."
Another area that Bedford says has already been phased out is paper strips. These are "traditionally used to track aircraft movements". All in all, over half of major US airports have already transitioned away from paper strips. This means that other similar transitions for things like floppy disks may be in reach.
This comes amid worries over air traffic control infrastructure. There have been several notable cases in the past regarding "equipment failures". One notable case was a Philadelphia air traffic facility causing thousands of delayed or canceled flights.
These modernizations sound important, but one question remains: if they get newer computers, who's going to play Minesweeper?
