Good morning to everyone else who is trying to wrap their mind around the fact that the #FAA NOTAM system was running on ***30 year old software***.
@cassandra17lina It's a notification system. Age is no more an indicator of quality and stability in software than it is in people. There are a lot of "old" systems running like champs and a lot of new ones that can't get out of the gate.
It wasn't a software issue, it was a maintenance issue, from what I have read. 🤷
@Cosmichomicide @cassandra17lina sorry but often the issue is that the underlying technology is or is not adaptable to change. Over time, software that cannot adapt becomes obsolete. Some of the issues here were related to cost cutting and not prioritizing the proper maintenance of the 30 year old software. Like anything else, if you just ignore problems, they will come back to haunt you.
@t_lang @cassandra17lina Not really. The core questions related to a software "upgrade" (or replacement or rewrite) are:
1. Does it do what it is supposed to do?
2. Is it a security risk?
3. Can it be maintained?
Think about it - everyone is up at arms because a 30 year old system was down for a day.
How many times have you been down for a day? Your car? Your internet? Your power?
Guarantee if it was once in 30 years, you'd be thrilled. 😉
@Cosmichomicide not advocating new and shiny. Just scalable and sustainable.
@t_lang Why? NOTAM has been in place since the 40s or 50s. It's simply a hazards notice. It's been sustainable for 30 years in current form so it's stable. Not sure what would be scaling since new airports aren't popping up everywhere.
Rather than waste taxpayer money on any changes, if everyone is super upset about it, Pete should retire it.
@Cosmichomicide I cannot relate to the particular software or industry but worked in software in other applications long enough to be aware of the issues of neglect over time. Maybe that is not the case here but it sure sounds familiar.
@t_lang @cassandra17lina New and shiny doesn't necessarily equal good. Sometimes it can just equal more complex or more expensive without resolving any problems (and sometimes introducing them).
As an example, I give you touchscreen vehicle controls - absolute cool factor. Looks awesome. Require that you take your attention off the road to operate...