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Groups > comp.os.linux.misc > #90439

Re: Legacy computer in embedded industial systems (Re: Oh Gods ...)

From "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid>
Newsgroups comp.os.linux.misc
Subject Re: Legacy computer in embedded industial systems (Re: Oh Gods ...)
Date 2026-08-24 09:21 +0200
Organization Tebibyte_Retro_Gaming
Message-ID <r08tlmxeb9.ln2@Telcontar.valinor> (permalink)
References (16 earlier) <4b2rlmx9i1.ln2@Telcontar.valinor> <116es3j$1uon6$1@dont-email.me> <116esn8$1uqt1$2@dont-email.me> <116fe4k$2530n$1@dont-email.me> <l9icnfrKBY3CRxb3nZ2dnZfqnPGdnZ2d@giganews.com>

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On 2026-08-24 07:43, c186282 wrote:
> On 8/23/26 14:28, Lars Poulsen wrote:
>> On 2026-08-23 06:31, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>>> On 23/08/2026 14:20, Lars Poulsen wrote:
>>>> On 2026-08-23 04:32, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>>>>> On 2026-08-23 08:57, c186282 wrote:
>>>>>> On 8/22/26 18:35, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
>>>>>>> On Sat, 22 Aug 2026 08:36:42 -0400, TJ wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> It goes against the grain, for me at least, to send perfectly good
>>>>>>>> running hardware off to the recycler, just because it is
>>>>>>>> "experienced."
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> CPU generations (and entire architectures) get dropped from the 
>>>>>>> Linux
>>>>>>> kernel because they can’t find anybody to step forward and maintain
>>>>>>> the support for them.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> That is how they tell that there are so few instances of those
>>>>>>> particular kinds of hardware around, that essentially nobody cares
>>>>>>> about them any more.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>    Sad, but quite correct.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>    Really not much call to run Linux-ish stuff
>>>>>>    on a 386/486 these days. How many people
>>>>>>    still USE those old boards for ANYTHING ?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>    MAYBE a few "industrial" monitor/control
>>>>>>    systems ... but REALLY they oughtta upgrade.
>>>>>  > >    However SOME won't because it might cost a
>>>>>>    few dollars. They'll run the old hardware
>>>>>>    until it literally bursts into flames - and
>>>>>>    then be SCREWED for days/weeks/months. But,
>>>>>>    the bean-counters will TELL them they're
>>>>>>    saving SO much money, now .......
>>>>>
>>>>> Industrial computers may have boards, like data acquisition boards, 
>>>>> to interface with motors and sensors (or cameras). If you upgrade 
>>>>> the computer, it comes with a new operating system, so their 
>>>>> expensive software does not run on it. The cards probably can not 
>>>>> be plugged in, so they also need replacing; the new boards will 
>>>>> probably not be compatible with the expensive software. So finally 
>>>>> they need to recreate the software (hopefully the company that 
>>>>> created it still exists and has the source files). And maybe there 
>>>>> are a bunch of computers to replace.
>>>>>
>>>>> The price is no longer minor.
>>>>
>>>> What you have to do is make sure you have one or two backup hardware 
>>>> packages, because when the computer breaks, you won't be able to buy 
>>>> one that works. (Just try to find a motherboard with ISA slots today!)
>>>
>>> https://www.directindustry.com/industrial-manufacturer/isa- 
>>> motherboard-255106.html
>>>
>>>> And with custom plugin boards, it is kinda too late to have them 
>>>> fabbed when the system is already down. And fire it up once a year 
>>>> to make sure it still runs.
>>>>
>>>> That may not guarantee that you can recover, but it vastly increases 
>>>> your chances.
>>>>
>>>> And when you put the reserve system into service, it is time to 
>>>> expedite developing a replacement!
>>>>
>>>> For PC systems, the big hurdle is that old 16-bit systems allowed
>>>> programs to do I/O to ISA bus peripherals without kernel 
>>>> programming, device drivers and OS hooks. When you "modernize" that 
>>>> ability is lost, and you have to rebuild with much more complicated 
>>>> programming.
>>>>
>>> That is a function of the operating system, not the chipset
>>
>> Good luck finding a motherboard with ISA bus slots. 
>  >
> 
>    Yea ... threw out my last ISA-bus boards a
>    long time ago. Everyone did. Maybe a bit
>    short-sighted ........
> 
>> For a very long time, motherboards had ISA bus parallel ports and 
>> serial ports, where all you had to do to access them directly was to 
>> populate the footprint for the connector. I think those went away 
>> around 2018.
>>
>> I got a handful of machines with footprint for a legacy parallel port 
>> as refurbs after corporate desktop replacement rounds, and brought 
>> them to my PCB rework guy. I was very disappointed to learn that the 
>> PCB manufacturer had reduced the footprint from 2.5 mm pin spacing to 
>> 2 mm pin spacing, making the ribbon cables used for this application 
>> not fit.
> 
>    You MIGHT be able to find add-on, maybe USB, adapters
>    and drivers that WILL properly emulate parallel/serial
>    ports from the old days. There ARE cheap dongles to
>    fake 9-pin serial ports, but haven't seen any of late
>    that'll do the older 25-pin ones. If you're next level
>    you could MAKE them with microcontrollers and hand-made
>    drivers (TOO old now to get that deep in again).
> 
>    The huge old "wide"-Centronics printer interface, good
>    fuckin' luck. Too bad, had a great old Epson wide
>    pin-printer with that interface - slow but insanely
>    reliable, went through endless giant boxes of the green-
>    stripe wide paper without a glitch.
> 
>    As for pin spacing .... built a bunch of devices on
>    the old Rabbit-II boards. Rabbit-III boards went from
>    3mm spacing to 2mm spacing - too tiny for mere humans
>    to work with conveniently with ordinary dremel-presses
>    and soldering irons.
> 
>    Sad, the Rabbits were GOOD boards (STILL sold BTW)
>    but had to drop 'em.

But those usb adapters can't do something the real rs232 or parallel 
port can do: directly interrupt and get processed within a known time, 
so much so as to sync clock to a GPS receiver.

I wonder if you can connect two machines via parallel port cable and 
emulated port.

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.
ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;

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Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-16 03:47 -0400
  Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-16 18:54 +0000
    Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2026-08-17 08:46 +1000
      Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-16 23:46 -0400
      Open web (was: Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!!) Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-17 09:42 +0100
    Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-16 23:44 -0400
      Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-17 03:54 +0000
        Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-17 01:24 -0400
        Linux 7.2 (was: Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!!) vallor <vallor@vallor.earth> - 2026-08-17 08:59 +0000
          Re: Linux 7.2 (was: Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!!) rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-17 17:39 +0000
            Re: Linux 7.2 c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-17 22:26 -0400
          Re: Linux 7.2 c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-17 22:21 -0400
            Re: Linux 7.2 Richard Kettlewell <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-18 08:30 +0100
            Re: Linux 7.2 Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-08-18 13:51 +0000
              Re: Linux 7.2 not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2026-08-19 08:16 +1000
                Re: Linux 7.2 c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-18 22:57 -0400
                Re: Linux 7.2 Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-08-19 12:37 +0000
                Re: Linux 7.2 rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-19 20:08 +0000
                Re: Linux 7.2 Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-08-19 12:49 +0000
                Re: Linux 7.2 The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-19 14:44 +0100
                Re: Linux 7.2 Richard Kettlewell <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-19 17:56 +0100
                Re: Linux 7.2 John Ames <commodorejohn@gmail.com> - 2026-08-19 10:27 -0700
                Re: Linux 7.2 The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-19 19:37 +0100
                Re: Linux 7.2 Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-08-20 13:51 +0000
                Re: Linux 7.2 The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-21 13:25 +0100
                Re: Linux 7.2 John Ames <commodorejohn@gmail.com> - 2026-08-19 08:45 -0700
                Re: Linux 7.2 Robert Riches <spamtrap42@jacob21819.net> - 2026-08-19 16:48 +0000
      Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! TJ <TJ@noneofyour.business> - 2026-08-17 10:30 -0400
        Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-17 22:25 -0400
          Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-18 03:05 +0000
            Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-18 00:58 -0400
            Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-18 10:21 +0100
              Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-08-18 13:55 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Robert Riches <spamtrap42@jacob21819.net> - 2026-08-18 21:24 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-19 14:41 +0100
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-19 19:00 +0000
            Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-08-18 13:53 +0000
              Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-08-18 16:30 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-08-18 23:02 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-18 23:02 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-08-19 12:53 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-19 19:25 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-19 21:37 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-20 03:24 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-20 12:32 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-20 20:53 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-20 22:14 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-21 04:29 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-21 01:17 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-08-20 13:55 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-20 13:04 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-08-20 18:04 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-20 21:02 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-20 22:30 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-21 04:24 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-21 01:12 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! TJ <TJ@noneofyour.business> - 2026-08-21 08:22 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Marc Haber <mh+usenetspam2616@zugschl.us> - 2026-08-21 16:01 +0200
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-21 15:22 +0100
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-21 23:55 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-21 18:18 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-08-22 01:56 +0000
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Richard Kettlewell <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-22 10:17 +0100
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-21 23:31 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! TJ <TJ@noneofyour.business> - 2026-08-22 08:36 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-22 13:44 +0100
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! TJ <TJ@noneofyour.business> - 2026-08-22 17:06 -0400
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-08-22 22:35 +0000
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-23 02:57 -0400
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-08-23 13:32 +0200
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-23 13:10 +0100
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-08-23 14:47 +0200
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-23 14:26 +0100
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-23 18:34 +0000
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-08-23 21:40 +0200
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-24 01:24 +0000
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-24 02:21 -0400
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-24 21:05 +0000
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-24 00:54 -0400
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-08-24 09:18 +0200
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-24 21:13 +0000
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-25 00:01 -0400
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-25 11:38 +0100
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-08-25 14:08 +0200
                Legacy computer in embedded industial systems (Re: Oh Gods ...) Lars Poulsen <lars@beagle-ears.com> - 2026-08-23 06:20 -0700
                Re: Legacy computer in embedded industial systems (Re: Oh Gods ...) The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-23 14:31 +0100
                Re: Legacy computer in embedded industial systems (Re: Oh Gods ...) Lars Poulsen <lars@beagle-ears.com> - 2026-08-23 11:28 -0700
                Re: Legacy computer in embedded industial systems (Re: Oh Gods ...) The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-23 19:58 +0100
                Re: Legacy computer in embedded industial systems (Re: Oh Gods ...) c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-24 01:43 -0400
                Re: Legacy computer in embedded industial systems (Re: Oh Gods ...) "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-08-24 09:21 +0200
                Re: Legacy computer in embedded industial systems (Re: Oh Gods ...) c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-25 00:33 -0400
                Re: Legacy computer in embedded industial systems (Re: Oh Gods ...) "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-08-25 14:11 +0200
                Re: Legacy computer in embedded industial systems (Re: Oh Gods ...) c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-24 01:06 -0400
                Re: Legacy computer in embedded industial systems (Re: Oh Gods ...) c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-24 01:01 -0400
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-23 23:19 -0400
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-23 12:46 +0100
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-23 18:41 +0000
                Re: Oh Gods - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-24 00:19 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-21 21:54 -0400
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-21 13:27 +0100
                Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-08-22 04:15 +0000
          Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! TJ <TJ@noneofyour.business> - 2026-08-19 11:48 -0400
    Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-17 09:38 +0100
      Re: Oh Gawd - Now MX Linux "Security Verification" - NO !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-08-17 17:14 +0000

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