Old software/apps; old OSs

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Posted by Cassius
Dec 1, 2014 at 12:24 AM

Suppose you have old data, reports, applications that were developed some time ago.
Suppose you might just possibly need one of these some time in the future.

1) You COULD recreate it from scratch using your current OS and applications (e.g, Excel) (and perhaps omit something or find software bugs)
OR
2) You could save a computer with the old OS, the old applications (e.g., Excel), and the old data or WORKING application which was developed with the old OS and applications.

Option 2 is almost always better, cheaper, and more reliable.

Of course, you have to make sure that all of the old stuff needed is saved at the time it was used, AND REMAINS SAFELY SAVED.

Unfortunately, as I learned in the FedGov, FedGov managers and contractors like to throw stuff away, put it in inaccessible archives, or sometimes an employee leaving takes it with him/her.

(I had a manager insist I throw something away and one week later really wanted it.)

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