The Commodore 64 is still very popular with many today. (Image: cristianstorto – adobe.stock.com)
As long as it's running, you shouldn't change a system. A bakery from Indiana, USA, has adhered to this credo for over 40 years.
In the Hilligoss Bakery in Brownsburg they still rely on the Commodore 64, which we affectionately call the “bread bin”.
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As you can see in one of the pictures, the keycaps have colorful stickers on them, presumably for a part of the bakery goods, since the C64 is used as a cash register.
The cash register system itself is probably written in BASIC programming language, which has an immense advantage: maintenance shouldn't be too complicated.
But it doesn't work without modern technology. The screens are clearly not 40 years old and credit card payments are processed differently – for security reasons.
The Commodore wasn't considered an absolute computing beast, though Tom’s HardwareHowever, the built-in CPU, a MOS 6510, was very efficient and was able to compensate for disadvantages such as the lower clock speed.
Because it was also cheap, the C64 sold like hot cakes. To date, the legendary gaming machine is number one among the best-selling desktop computers with 17 million units sold Guinness World Records.
It sometimes happens that even large corporations rely on old technology. A year ago, for example, the railway company was looking for administrators for Windows 3.11 (Heise).
Also very worth reading: In a corresponding Reddit thread to the article by Techspot On this topic, users share their experiences with ancient hardware and software.
Commodore 64 – In continuous use in the workshop for more than 25 years
It is remarkable how consistently Hilligoss Bakery relies on its C64 and resists unnecessary hardware upgrades. Not only did she avoid e-waste and save money on new technology, but she also gave people around the world a reason to talk about her bakery.
Do you know any examples where ancient technology is still used? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments.
