[OT] Eternal programming

[Quinn Dunkan]

On Tue, 10 Jul 2001 16:03:33 +1200, Greg Ewing <greg at cosc.canterbury.ac.nz>
wrote:
>Roman Suzi wrote:
>> 
>> What is left:
>>
>> Data storage, 8 bit bytes, latin letters, 10 digits, some computers with
>> some formal programming languages, and some programmers ;-) who are
>> capable to program very simple core interpreter in the language they will
>> have at hands. (Even mathematicians will be enough).
>
>If the English language has changed too much, and
>there's no-one left who can understand the spec,
>you might have a bit of a problem...

Let alone latin letters.  Or even utf8.  Or 8 bit bytes.  I think the real
problem will be building a machine that can read old fashioned hard drives.
And if they do, will they still work?  Consider all the 9 track tape rotting
away in closets.

I think it's good that old software rots away.  If it's gone it's because
nobody needed it anymore.  A lot of other software which would still be
interesting is interesting because of the specific platform it ran on and the
time at which it ran (consider Amiga demos).  A language won't help for those,
you need a museum.