Probably not before the end of the year, but this seems to be part of their routine. Back in the 80s, Intel had the general purpose 8051 micro-controller (and the 8048 that was in the IBM PC keyboard interface). They killed it off to focus on x86 products. Then in the late 1990s or early 2000s, they released an ARM micro-controller (XScale). That lasted a few years and they killed it off to focus on their x86 stuff. At least this time, they tried to make micro-controllers out of the x86 architecture.
Give the original engineers a bit of credit. Those analog tapes might be stone-age and oversized, but they're time-tested and they work. The reluctance to replace them comes from years of experience saying "If it ain't broke don't fix it" -- especially when lives hang in the balance.
(Emphasis mine)
By the time they're searching for the recorder, its ability to function won't have any impact on lives, just lawsuits.
Slashdot Mirror
Probably not before the end of the year, but this seems to be part of their routine. Back in the 80s, Intel had the general purpose 8051 micro-controller (and the 8048 that was in the IBM PC keyboard interface). They killed it off to focus on x86 products. Then in the late 1990s or early 2000s, they released an ARM micro-controller (XScale). That lasted a few years and they killed it off to focus on their x86 stuff. At least this time, they tried to make micro-controllers out of the x86 architecture.
100LL is dyed blue
Give the original engineers a bit of credit. Those analog tapes might be stone-age and oversized, but they're time-tested and they work. The reluctance to replace them comes from years of experience saying "If it ain't broke don't fix it" -- especially when lives hang in the balance.
(Emphasis mine)
By the time they're searching for the recorder, its ability to function won't have any impact on lives, just lawsuits.
I don't think it's the job of private companies to make sure the federal government follows the law.
Isn't that what the press typically does?
And with it comes a whole new spacecast: Terra Eye for the Alien Gu... er... lifeform