A few days ago I watched a video of a tour of a Minuteman missile silo control center, and there was a moment where the guide mentions "These are the computers that control the missiles, your phone has got much more power than them but these remain unhackable as most of their language has been forgotten".
Yep ETERNA and friends, also a very nice looking stock.
The AGFA had a look very simalar to the Agfa still films. I was looking at a video of "do they know it's christmas, and thought to myself, that looks like AGFA, and sure enough Agfa was one of the folks credited in the end credits as providing supplies to do the video. video is here, but the credits are missing:
PS : Fuji discontinued all motion picture films inkluding Eterna - series 2003/2003.
Dunno. My experience as software engineer is that current code is an undocumented mess, legacy code is an undocumented nightmare. Now think of a custom built machine, with many custom made modifications - some documented, some not - with a set of incomplete manuals that represent a state of the hardware/software which is different in many small details on the running implementation you have at hand, software written in an obscure dialect of an obscure language from 40 years ago, that compiles to an obscure partially documented machine code for a custom architecture that has no resemblance to anything you can find today. Brr!Whatever programming language cannot be "forgotten", it's written in manuals. It's not like making film. It's really much much much easier.
legacy code is an undocumented nightmare. Now think of a custom built machine, with many custom made modifications - some documented, some not - with a set of incomplete manuals that represent a state of the hardware/software which is different in many small details on the running implementation you have at hand, software written in an obscure dialect of an obscure language from 40 years ago, that compiles to an obscure partially documented machine code for a custom architecture that has no resemblance to anything you can find today. Brr!
Ok - I did not realize.Not quite true.
Fuji still offer a 35mm b&w cine negative film for making colour seperations.
Yes, true -
And yet! Scores of hobbyists often keep the flame alive, or resurrect it in some cases.
Back to the computer analogy, check out these forums:
www.vogons.org
Here, as in other places, several people obsessed with old, obsolete computers share and propagate all the knowledge required to keep these machines running.
A few members have even begun producing, in small production runs, new parts for these old machines! (For instance, a newly produced clone of a popular sound card from the early 90's, which was incredibly complicated to replicate, is now being manufactured in small quantities)
I firmly believe the same thing will happen with film photography. Long after the mainstream companies have given up on film (when and if they do), the spirit will live on and not even the most difficult challenge will not be overcome by the analog community in some way. As long as people still want to shoot film, it will exist, and it will be used, and it will be preserved.
Only a little bit =)A little bit off topic ........?
You must have seen this video on Focus
Whatever programming language cannot be "forgotten", it's written in manuals. It's not like making film. It's really much much much easier.
Besides, I cannot believe that a nuclear weapon system can be kept in such a poor state of maintenance. All aspects of the system certainly must be modifiable, and have probably been modified since their entrance into service.
Computers which drive missiles are not hackable simply because they are not connected to world networks such as Internet. You must have physical access to them.
Yes, that must have been on Focus! (or on Discovery channel, same quality).
Dunno. My experience as software engineer is that current code is an undocumented mess, legacy code is an undocumented nightmare. Now think of a custom built machine, with many custom made modifications - some documented, some not - with a set of incomplete manuals that represent a state of the hardware/software which is different in many small details on the running implementation you have at hand, software written in an obscure dialect of an obscure language from 40 years ago, that compiles to an obscure partially documented machine code for a custom architecture that has no resemblance to anything you can find today. Brr!
Where can I find this film?
The trick with Linux is that the developers HATE malware, and so when it is discovered they update the software to get rid on the problem. MY computer checks every day and lets me know when something needs to be updated.The following is a partial list of known Linux malware. However, few if any are in the wild, and most have been rendered obsolete by Linux updates or were never a threat."
I'm fairly keen on Linux myself, in a "interested in playing/working with it" sort of way.
The problem with using no anti-virus/anti-malware software of some sort is that we live in a world where people share a lot of stuff. If you don't monitor the stuff you receive and share, then you may very well be sharing stuff that is likely to cause problems with the non-Linux world out there.
It is a problem that presents itself in different ways to people using different operating systems. But given how much Linux (and Unix) is used for servers, than I would suggest that it is only prudent to take care with what may be stored on and distributed using those Linux systems.
My opinion is, this only makes sense with web servers.So the Linux world should run malware checks to keep the Windows world safe from things that came from and can only harm the Windows world? While I can certainly understand your desire to remain free of malware, I can't agree with that sentiment. Plus you really don't have to worry about it if take your own advice, and you are running that software yourself.
Yes - everybody should be diligent about keeping malware from spreading.So the Linux world should run malware checks to keep the Windows world safe from things that came from and can only harm the Windows world? While I can certainly understand your desire to remain free of malware, I can't agree with that sentiment. Plus you really don't have to worry about it if take your own advice, and you are running that software yourself.
The language manuals exist but the compilers may not be available on the target machine. When a computer language becomes unused it becomes very difficult to find high quality qualified personnel to do the maintenance, because it does not add to their resume and takes time away from growing into the latest software advances. Twelvetone12 nailed it.
The language manuals exist but the compilers may not be available on the target machine. When a computer language becomes unused it becomes very difficult to find high quality qualified personnel to do the maintenance, because it does not add to their resume and takes time away from growing into the latest software advances. Twelvetone12 nailed it.
Let me grab the original source, which is of a tour of a decommisioned Minuteman facility. (Minute 32:41) I can guess that there are some differences compared to what is still in use, and perhaps the claim for "nobody knowing the machine language anymore" is to deter counterespionage.Seen it from another perspective, if what the documentary says was true, that would mean that the entire Minuteman ballistic system would become useless if a software modification were required. Imagine that as an US taxpayer. It's like saying that a car becomes unuseable because you don't find the air filter anymore. And it's not a car, it's a ballistic atomic system, something very, very, very costly and pretty much important.
Film is probably the only "art" which can really be "lost".
Yes - everybody should be diligent about keeping malware from spreading.
There is a lot of sharing of files between the various "worlds". Just ask any Linux user who is also into anything like gaming or any activity where there is important platform specific software that doesn't have a Linux version.
As an example, In my former law office we used a Windows package for law office administration and client file maintenance that had no Linux version. At the time there was no comparable Linux based product (and nothing really as effective in the Mac world either).
While all our individual computers were Windows based, our within firm network was for many years a Unix based one. That network was kept isolated (as much as possible) from the internet. There was certainly no regular or automatic patches or updates.
If I were setting up something similar now, one of the real options would be to use Linux instead of Unix. A structure like that would be very attractive to those who seek to profit from malware.
More like requesting the other drivers to be extra careful lest they bump your fragile Microsoft Car off the road.I'm looking for a good analogy but can't find one, but its kind of like expecting other drivers to stay off the road because your car doesn't have air bags.
More like requesting the other drivers to be extra careful lest they bump your fragile Microsoft Car off the road.
Until Microsoft goes down in flames when the general public realizes the potential of Linux, the problem will persist. It is due to ignorance more than anything else.
I agree about potential, but assure you that Linux will remain a tiny niche unless and until it permits better integration with Windows and Mac users' needs.More like requesting the other drivers to be extra careful lest they bump your fragile Microsoft Car off the road.
Until Microsoft goes down in flames when the general public realizes the potential of Linux, the problem will persist. It is due to ignorance more than anything else.
Well, I disagree. We are talking military installations here. With the resource of military budgets you can build any kind of electronics and compile any kind of compilers. You are not supposed to change hardware and to change "target machine" in a military installation. If you do, you have the resources to do whatever.
In professional computing AS/400 are still widely used and maintained, including all the code and the compilers (which are nothing else than programs themselves). In terms of consumer electronic they are pre-history, in term of professional application they work and that's all. Military budgets allow the non-discontinuation of every part which has a military significance.
I wouldn't be surprised at all if 68000 processors of military grade were still in production, or in ample stock for a long time. Programming languages like COBOL are still widely in use in the applications where they had their origins (such as banking).
The fact that handgun were invented doesn't mean that bows are not maintainable any more.
Seen it from another perspective, if what the documentary says was true, that would mean that the entire Minuteman ballistic system would become useless if a software modification were required. Imagine that as an US taxpayer. It's like saying that a car becomes unuseable because you don't find the air filter anymore. And it's not a car, it's a ballistic atomic system, something very, very, very costly and pretty much important.
Film is probably the only "art" which can really be "lost".
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?