They are still using Amigas!!!!

Anubis · 12 June 2015, 15:03

Last night while watching local news, got that 'woow' sensation...

They are still using Amiga computers to control A/C and heating.

Quote:

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A 30-year-old computer that has run day and night for decades is what controls the heat and air conditioning at 19 Grand Rapids Public Schools.

The Commodore Amiga was new to GRPS in the early 1980s and it has been working tirelessly ever since. GRPS Maintenance Supervisor Tim Hopkins said that the computer was purchased with money from an energy bond in the 1980s. It replaced a computer that was “about the size of a refrigerator.”

http://woodtv.com/2015/06/11/1980s-c...s-heat-and-ac/

Amiga1992 · 12 June 2015, 15:34

Well it was clearly not the same as they had in the 1980s, since the picture shows a KS2.X screen. Either it was updated from an original 1.X machine or the system was installed later in the 90s.

Still good to see this loyal system still working and providing benefits to the community.

dirkies · 12 June 2015, 15:38

wow, A2000 but seems to run KS2.0, so this cannot be 30 years old (?)

alenppc · 12 June 2015, 15:43

That's absolutely fantastic. It's a shame they don't know that the parts are not as hard to find as they may think, they should fit it with a nice PS2 mouse converter and Indivision ECS

I'd totally apply for a job at that school and make sure that Amiga lasted another 30 years!

Muzkat · 12 June 2015, 16:10

I wish I could "like" that article!

Anubis · 12 June 2015, 16:12

How they cut founding for schools, I would not be surprised that GRPS district has them run bit longer.

It appears that they did few updates over time, from KS screen yes, it seems bit newer, but even 20+ years is quite impressive.

Michael · 12 June 2015, 16:14

Apparently it's not the first machine there, and they have replaced it before, and if emergency arises they said they will look for another one on ebay.

PS: I knew some hotels had amigas running for info screens for a long time, and everything was done from floppy! Had a lot of trouble to persuade the owners to add a harddrive, only after a third or forth floppy drive replacement they usually gone harddrive and obviously more colourfull backgrounds for the info pages ;-)

TheBilgeRat · 12 June 2015, 18:49

FTA:

"A new, more current system would cost between $1.5 and 2 million..."(emphasis mine)

2 million dollars? They could update their RF license to get on a different band, buy a bunch of minimigs/myst boards and switch it over to an ethernet based solution for a considerable amount less. If it ain't broke, as they say...

Seems the most annoying thing is having it on the same rf as the handhelds. That seems like the best application of some money. Some enterprising Michigan amigoid should get a hold of the programmer and the district and hook them up!

Anubis · 12 June 2015, 18:56

Even I love amiga, this is something few RaspberyPi could do without much problem and for fraction of the cost of minimigs.

Problem with Amiga hardware is not just availability, but price and time needed.

Indeed, still awesome that machine runs 24/7.

Jack Burton · 12 June 2015, 21:38

Amiga, the computer that never rests !

Lonewolf10 · 12 June 2015, 23:09

Hehe, I heard about this from some of my retro/Amiga computer lists I'm on today.

This is awesome news. I wonder how many other schools/businesses still use Amiga's instead of Windows?

mikele · 13 June 2015, 18:32

that's smart, if it ever fails and causes fatal combustion because of hardware malfunction, who's gonna sue Commodore?

Fred the Fop · 15 June 2015, 05:24

Ahh love this. I want to move there just to see it heh...

http://gizmodo.com/thirty-year-old-c...and-1711257091

Arnie · 15 June 2015, 05:33

They should save themselves $2million by keeping it.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Fred the Fop · 15 June 2015, 05:37

I agree, it's a testament to a stable OS and bright programmer.

Here's another look

http://gizmodo.com/thirty-year-old-c...and-1711257091

Arnie · 15 June 2015, 05:42

I wonder what the specs are? A500, A1000 maybe an A2000?

Hmm, 1985, what was around at that time? A1000.

NovaCoder · 15 June 2015, 07:56

That's very impressive

Predseda · 15 June 2015, 07:58

Its A2000, there is already a thread about it

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=78593

Arnie · 15 June 2015, 08:12

I don't think the A2000 is the original one. 1985? the A2000 wasn't produced then, was it?

Leffmann · 15 June 2015, 08:35

The A2000 is a replacement, and of course the $2M figure isn't for replacing just the Amiga, that's just what you write get viewers to click the link, it's the cost for replacing the entire system, in which the Amiga is the central but smaller part.

12 June 2015, 15:43	#4
alenppc Registered User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Canada Age: 44 Posts: 910	That's absolutely fantastic. It's a shame they don't know that the parts are not as hard to find as they may think, they should fit it with a nice PS2 mouse converter and Indivision ECS I'd totally apply for a job at that school and make sure that Amiga lasted another 30 years! Last edited by alenppc; 12 June 2015 at 15:49.

15 June 2015, 05:24	#13
Fred the Fop flaming faggot Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Versailles Age: 55 Posts: 2,808	Who needs up to date when Amigas still do it right? Ahh love this. I want to move there just to see it heh... http://gizmodo.com/thirty-year-old-c...and-1711257091

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12 June 2015, 15:34	#2
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,644	Well it was clearly not the same as they had in the 1980s, since the picture shows a KS2.X screen. Either it was updated from an original 1.X machine or the system was installed later in the 90s. Still good to see this loyal system still working and providing benefits to the community.

12 June 2015, 15:38	#3
dirkies Zone Friend Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Belgium Age: 51 Posts: 1,296	wow, A2000 but seems to run KS2.0, so this cannot be 30 years old (?)

12 June 2015, 16:10	#5
Muzkat Into the Wonderful Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Earthrealm Age: 42 Posts: 1,426	I wish I could "like" that article!

12 June 2015, 16:12	#6
Anubis Retro Gamer Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Underworld Age: 51 Posts: 4,058	How they cut founding for schools, I would not be surprised that GRPS district has them run bit longer. It appears that they did few updates over time, from KS screen yes, it seems bit newer, but even 20+ years is quite impressive.

12 June 2015, 16:14	#7
Michael A1260T/PPC/BV/SCSI/NET Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Moscow / Russia Posts: 839	Apparently it's not the first machine there, and they have replaced it before, and if emergency arises they said they will look for another one on ebay. PS: I knew some hotels had amigas running for info screens for a long time, and everything was done from floppy! Had a lot of trouble to persuade the owners to add a harddrive, only after a third or forth floppy drive replacement they usually gone harddrive and obviously more colourfull backgrounds for the info pages ;-)

12 June 2015, 18:49	#8
TheBilgeRat Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: Wichita KS, USA Posts: 67	FTA: "A new, more current system would cost between $1.5 and 2 million..."(emphasis mine) 2 million dollars? They could update their RF license to get on a different band, buy a bunch of minimigs/myst boards and switch it over to an ethernet based solution for a considerable amount less. If it ain't broke, as they say... Seems the most annoying thing is having it on the same rf as the handhelds. That seems like the best application of some money. Some enterprising Michigan amigoid should get a hold of the programmer and the district and hook them up!

12 June 2015, 18:56	#9
Anubis Retro Gamer Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Underworld Age: 51 Posts: 4,058	Even I love amiga, this is something few RaspberyPi could do without much problem and for fraction of the cost of minimigs. Problem with Amiga hardware is not just availability, but price and time needed. Indeed, still awesome that machine runs 24/7.

12 June 2015, 21:38	#10
Jack Burton It's all in the reflexes! Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Wingkong warehouses Posts: 206	Amiga, the computer that never rests !

12 June 2015, 23:09	#11
Lonewolf10 AMOS Extensions Developer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: near Cambridge, UK Age: 44 Posts: 1,924	Hehe, I heard about this from some of my retro/Amiga computer lists I'm on today. This is awesome news. I wonder how many other schools/businesses still use Amiga's instead of Windows?

13 June 2015, 18:32	#12
mikele Registered User Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: poland Posts: 307	that's smart, if it ever fails and causes fatal combustion because of hardware malfunction, who's gonna sue Commodore?

15 June 2015, 05:33	#14
Arnie R.I.P Smudge 18-08-16 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Leicester/UK Age: 66 Posts: 3,968	They should save themselves $2million by keeping it. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

15 June 2015, 05:37	#15
Fred the Fop flaming faggot Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Versailles Age: 55 Posts: 2,808	I agree, it's a testament to a stable OS and bright programmer. Here's another look http://gizmodo.com/thirty-year-old-c...and-1711257091

15 June 2015, 05:42	#16
Arnie R.I.P Smudge 18-08-16 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Leicester/UK Age: 66 Posts: 3,968	I wonder what the specs are? A500, A1000 maybe an A2000? Hmm, 1985, what was around at that time? A1000.

15 June 2015, 07:56	#17
NovaCoder Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Melbourne/Australia Posts: 4,400	That's very impressive

15 June 2015, 07:58	#18
Predseda Puttymoon inhabitant Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tromaville Age: 46 Posts: 7,538	Its A2000, there is already a thread about it http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=78593

15 June 2015, 08:12	#19
Arnie R.I.P Smudge 18-08-16 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Leicester/UK Age: 66 Posts: 3,968	I don't think the A2000 is the original one. 1985? the A2000 wasn't produced then, was it?

15 June 2015, 08:35	#20
Leffmann Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,269	The A2000 is a replacement, and of course the $2M figure isn't for replacing just the Amiga, that's just what you write get viewers to click the link, it's the cost for replacing the entire system, in which the Amiga is the central but smaller part.

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