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When’s the last time you saw a floppy disk? A pager, or a Fax machine? Once upon a time, these devices were cutting-edge technology, but nowadays, they’ve been replaced by sleeker, more powerful alternatives—or so you’d think.
Floppy Disks
If you know what a floppy disk is and you’ve actually used one before, congratulations, you’re officially old! But for the younger crowd, floppy disks are basically the great-great-grandparents of USB drives and SSDs. They ruled in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, and even if you’ve never held one in your hands, you’ve probablyseen their likenessin the “Save” icon of your favorite apps.
Most floppy disks can store somewhere between 100 KB and 1.44 MB of data. These days, that’s barely enough for a single high-res photo, so it’s no surprise they fell out of favor once CDs, USB sticks, and cloud storage came along.
But here’s the wild part: in some industries, floppy disks are still very much in use. In air traffic control, for example, floppy disks are still used to manage flight data. Several older aircraft models, like some Boeing 737s and 747s, rely on floppy disks for essential software updates. And inSan Francisco, the train control system still runs off floppies.
Obviously, relying on floppy disks in 2025 comes with a long list of headaches. Someone literally has to go around updating those old airplanes with new floppies every 28 days to keep them running smoothly. But there’s also a silver lining: these “ancient” systems are often immune to modern tech outages. So when theCrowdStrike outagehappened in 2024, many of these old-school, floppy-powered setups kept humming along like nothing happened.
Windows XP
Windows XP is one of the mostbeloved versionsof Windows, and even today, more than 2 decades after its launch, the sight of those iconic rolling green hills stirs up a sense of nostalgia in me that no Windows version since has matched.
It’s been over a decade since Microsoft officially stopped supporting Windows XP, but the world just can’t seem to let it go. You’ll find it quietly running behind the scenes in critical financial machinery like ATMs and POS systems, in medical equipment like CT scanners and MRI machines, and in all kinds of industrial setups, like production lines and CNC machines. There’s even a strong reason to believe that Windows XP is still clunking away in a lot of military equipment.
Pagers
Pagers—or beepers, as they’re sometimes called—are small, one-way communication devices used to receive and display short messages. They earned their nickname from the sharp beep they make when a message comes through.
Back in the 1980s, pagers were a go-to communication tool, but once mobile phones became mainstream, they started fading into obscurity—and for good reason. Compared to your average smartphone, pagers are extremely limited. Still, they’ve managed to stick around in some important spaces thanks to a few key advantages.
For starters, pagers are more reliable in emergencies. They operate on a different kind of network than cell phones, which means they often get better signal reception, especially in places where phone service is weak. This reliability has kept them in use in hospitals and emergency services, where missing a message isn’t an option.
They’re also much tougher than modern phones. Pagers can handle rough handling, last for days on a single charge, and are generally built to endure. That makes them especially useful in high-stress environments where durability matters.
Then there’s the privacy factor. Pagers don’t come with GPS or any of the modern location-tracking features built into smartphones, which makes them harder to trace. This has made them appealing to people who want to stay off the grid.
Film Cameras
For a technology many assumed wouldfade awaywith the rise of digital photography, film cameras have proven surprisingly resilient.
They may be more difficult and expensive to operate than digital cameras. Still, there’s something about the analog process, the anticipation of not knowing exactly how your shot turned out, and the subtle imperfections in the final image—that has carved out a loyal niche of enthusiasts.
In Hollywood, film remains a beloved medium, and plenty of modern movies are still shot either entirely or partially on film to capture that texture that digital just can’t replicate.
Even beyond the film industry, film cameras are enjoying a resurgence. Lots of people now seek out film cameras for a vintage aesthetic in an increasingly digital world.
COBOL
COBOL—short for Common Business Oriented Language—is a programming language that’s been around since 1959. Originally developed for use on mainframe computers, COBOL was designed to handle tasks involving lots of data and repetitive transactions. It has long been the backbone of systems used by banks, insurance companies, and government agencies,
COBOL has long fallen out of favor among programmers, but it is still a vital part of modern systems. This is especially so in the financial sector, where it is still responsible for an astounding share of the global financial infrastructure. According toReuters, it’s behind 95% of ATM transactions, 80% of in-person credit card operations, and nearly half of all core banking systems.
Fax Machines
Fax machines were once the go-to method for sending documents quickly over long distances. But today, with messaging apps, email, and countless other digital alternatives, their relevance has mostly faded.
Still, in certain industries, fax machines refuse to die. One big reason is security. Unlike email or other internet-based options, fax transmissions aren’t routed through the web and are much harder to intercept. This makes them especially appealing in fields like healthcare and law, where strict confidentiality rules apply and maintaining a clear paper trail can be critical for liability protection.
Fax machines also continue to see use in government offices and, in some cases, have even developed a bit of a cult following. For example,The Guardianreported that in 2021, Japan attempted to eliminate fax machines from government operations as part of a broader modernization effort. Still, the backlash from officials was so strong that the plan was eventually scrapped.
Dot Matrix Printers
A dot matrix printer is an impact printer that forms characters by striking an ink ribbon with tiny pins. Compared to modern inkjet and laser printers, dot matrix printers are loud, clunky, and slow. But despite their outdated design, they’ve managed to stick around in a few key industries.
Airports are one of the biggest places you’ll still find them. Many airlines continue to use dot matrix printers for boarding passes and flight manifests. The reason? These printers are great for producing multiple copies at once and are built to withstand harsher environments. With fewer delicate components, they’re more resistant to dust, temperature fluctuations, and physical wear. Plus, their ink ribbons are cheaper and easier to store than modern toner cartridges.
The same reason has seen dot matrix printers widely used in businesses and government agencies that have to print lots of forms, receipts, tickets, or payroll slips.
There’s something remarkable about the technology of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. Despite decades of innovation and better replacements, these systems have held their ground. Odds are, even a decade from now, some systems out there will still be running on these technologies.
