Writes Curt Howland:

Lew,

Two important things about those 1970s computers.

1) They work. Today’s systems are much more fragile than those older machines. Smaller components may require less materials to make, but they are now commodities people just throw away when they break. Older machines can be repaired.

2) No hackers. Since the systems are practically hand built, the tools used to corrupt today’s commodity hardware and software simply doesn’t work. It doesn’t matter how good your lock-pick skills are, if there is no lock to pick.

As obsolete as nuclear weapons are, having them managed by “obsolete” computers seems perfectly reasonable.

Peace.