Reasons Legacy Systems Remain Relevant

Every legacy system is a crash course in how the business really works. They’re seen as outdated, bloated, and ready for the trash bin. But here’s the truth: • They’ve handled real users, traffic, and edge cases. • They’ve survived years of business changes and still deliver value. • They’ve been battle-tested in ways shiny new systems haven’t. My take: 1- “Rewrite” is often a seductive trap. You want clean slates, but that’s rarely what the business needs. The cost of a rewrite is underestimated; the risk of losing hidden logic is ignored. 2- Smart refactoring wins. Replace the tires, not the whole car, unless you’re willing to delay product work for quarters. 3- Stability is undervalued until it’s gone. The most “boring” systems are often the most critical. Don’t underestimate a system just because it’s old. -> Stability is a feature. One week in the legacy codebase > three months of onboarding docs. Do you believe in “rewrite from scratch” or “refactor in place”? Why? P.S. You are not a Senior Engineer until you have worked on legacy code.

COBOL isn’t just a relic; it’s the backbone of global economies, with over 800 billion lines of code still running critical systems daily. Yet, here’s the controversial truth: the obsession with "modernizing" COBOL is often a costly distraction driven by hype, not necessity. As experts with decades of insights into legacy systems, People is calling it out-many modernization efforts, like the failed "COBOL to Java" experiments, have wasted billions while ignoring the real issue: technical debt in poorly documented, monolithic programs. The hard reality? COBOL’s date-handling quirks, like default epochs in Social Security systems misrepresenting birthdates as 1875, aren’t fraud-they’re symptoms of neglected maintenance, not obsolescence. Refactoring these systems into modular, well-documented components while integrating APIs with encapsulation and cloud tech is the smarter path forward, not wholesale replacement. AI can amplify this, automating grunt work like documentation and code analysis, letting developers focus on strategic innovation. But here’s the kicker: if IT leaders keep chasing shiny new stacks over pragmatic refactoring, they risk catastrophic failures in systems too critical to fail. COBOL isn’t dying-it’s evolving. The real scandal is the industry’s refusal to train the next generation, leaving a skills gap as developers age out. Let’s stop romanticizing disruption and start valuing stability. What’s your take-modernize at all costs, or refactor with purpose? Drop your thoughts below. #COBOL #LegacySystems #TechDebt #ITStrategy #MainframeEvolution

SCARY FAA to Replace Air Traffic Control Systems Still Running on Windows 95 and Floppy Disks Introduction: America’s Skies Still Managed by 1990s Tech The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that critical components of the U.S. air traffic control system still operate using antiquated technology—including Windows 95 computers and floppy disks. In testimony before Congress, acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau announced that the agency is finally seeking contractors to replace these outdated systems, marking a long-overdue modernization effort set to be completed within four years. Key Details from the FAA Modernization Plan 1. Obsolete Technology Still in Use • Windows 95, launched nearly 30 years ago, remains in active use at many air traffic facilities. • Floppy disks are still used to transfer crucial data between systems. • Paper strips continue to be employed to track aircraft movements, a manual process with built-in risk for delays and human error. 2. Federal Push to Modernize • The FAA issued a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit modernization proposals from private sector contractors. • Acting Administrator Rocheleau emphasized, “No more floppy disks or paper strips,” signaling a clean break from legacy systems. • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the upgrade as “the most important infrastructure project” in decades, highlighting its bipartisan support. 3. Why These Systems Persisted • Stability and familiarity: Older systems are deeply embedded and have a long record of reliability when functioning properly. • Cost and complexity: Upgrading mission-critical systems in a 24/7 environment is expensive, risky, and logistically difficult. • Security concerns: Ironically, older systems are often isolated from the internet, limiting their vulnerability to modern cyberattacks. Why It Matters: Safety, Efficiency, and National Preparedness • Safety and Delay Reduction: Updating these systems will improve flight tracking accuracy, reduce delays, and lower the chance of operational errors. • Cybersecurity Risks: Antiquated hardware increases the risk of failure and limits defenses against evolving threats. • Global Competitiveness: Modern air traffic infrastructure is essential for keeping pace with international aviation standards and demand growth. • Contracting Opportunity: The overhaul opens the door for innovative tech firms and defense contractors to modernize one of the most vital national systems. Conclusion The FAA’s plan to replace its aging air traffic control systems signals a long-overdue leap into the 21st century. While the legacy systems have served reliably, modernization is essential for safety, efficiency, and national competitiveness in the age of digital aviation. Keith King https://lnkd.in/gHPvUttw

Let’s remove some stigma from the word “legacy.” “Legacy” doesn’t always mean a “bad” or “failed” system that needs replacing. Legacy systems are some of the most successful systems within an organization. A system was created, tested, and worked – over time. There are many ways to modernize legacy systems that don’t involve full-scale replacement. Ask yourself the following to determine a course of action: 👉 Do we need to change it? If not, coat the black box with new, well-documented APIs. 👉 Is it hard to work with? If so, then improve the documentation or scenario-based tests. 👉 Is it a big, old ball of mud? Consider what workload you can carve out of it and what you might learn along the way. Keep in mind that many of these moves require development to express the economic tradeoffs and require alignment with partners outside of engineering. Working in legacy is a marketable skill. It just requires knowing when change is needed (or will be needed) and having the guts to make it happen. #softwareengineering #innovation #transformation #legacysystems