time to replace components in wife's computer for dreaded Win10 to Win11

gunrunnerjohn said:

Obviously, without actually knowing in detail what applications and other equipment is involved, it's impossible to know what is possible. However, running the old applications in VM's sounds to me like putting Band-Aids on bullet wounds, the real issue with systems like the air traffic control network is not just the ancient equipment but the capabilities of the existing system. That won't change putting the crappy system in a VM, it just needs to be totally replaced.

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Yes, I know, but I was thinking as a transitional period until they can get rid of the old Windows version, install Windows 10 or 11 and use a modern application. However, "nothing is more permanent than the temporary measure" as we say in Greek.

spapakons said:

Yes, I know, but I was thinking as a transitional period until they can get rid of the old Windows version, install Windows 10 or 11 and use a modern application. However, "nothing is more permanent than the temporary measure" as we say in Greek.

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Exactly the problem. They'd take the easy route and keep the antiquated systems and just slide in new hardware. That won't solve the real problems, so I'd rather they do the job right.

I'm sure there's some Windows in ATC, but a lot of it isn't. I know ERAM runs on Linux, specifically RHEL, and they're moving to version 8. I would think in avionics, you'd want some kind of RTOS, not a desktop/server OS. You can't ask for the landing gear to go down, and have the plane say, "Hang on, the Xbox app service thingy is taking a video of my Roblox progress."

gunrunnerjohn said:

Even our government in the US is using antique equipment, our air traffic control still has key computers that are floppy disk based! In many cases, it's not the physical replacement that's too expensive, it's modifying the systems that run on them to use the new technology.

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You are essentially correct. I can't tell you the how or why because of a pretty serious non-disclosure agreement, but many of these agencies are just now switching over from older, usually XP era machines to newer machines that run Win 11. The conversion is quite involved and usually results in running two systems at the same time for a while, with the XP system available as a backup for several years after the new system is installed before it is decommissioned.

Adding to @pseymour 's valid point, Linux does often play a role in these agencies and it has to be accommodated when the system is replaced. The software packages that run on these machines have to play nice with each other, even if it is a different OS. It gets awfully complicated. I am glad that I just do hardware design.

Heh, good point on NDA. There's no NDA on the ERAM system using Linux. It's public knowledge and in their budget on transportation.gov. So I'm good.