• Welcome to OS2World OLD-STATIC-BACKUP Forum.
 

News:

This is an old OS2World backup forum for reference only. IT IS READ ONLY!!!

If you need help with OS/2 - eComStation visit http://www.os2world.com/forum

Main Menu

New York City’s subway system use of OS/2

Started by wstannl, 2012.09.24, 15:32:52

Previous topic - Next topic

wstannl

The following story at time.com prompts my question about the use of OS/2 in the New York City subway system:
http://techland.time.com/2012/04/02/25-years-of-ibms-os2-the-birth-death-and-afterlife-of-a-legendary-operating-system/3/
I refer specifically to this quote:
"While OS/2 is not running any visible part of the system, it does serve an essential purpose, and there are hundreds of OS/2 computers in service," says Neil Waldhauer, a consultant who helps New York City Transit and other clients keep their OS/2 applications running."
Anyone have any more in depth knowledge of this? I am curious which version of OS/2 is used and where it appears ie) Metrocard dispensers, Metrocard "swipe" entry/exit points, databases, etc.
I have used the subway in NYC and find the whole infrastructure quite fascinating.  :)
-wstan

miturbide

Hi wstan

Neil Waldhauer (BlondGuy) hangs out on this forum from time to time. Maybe he can answer some of you doubts.
Martín Itúrbide
OS2World.com NewsMaster
Open Source Advocate

Skype - martiniturbide
Google Talk - martiniturbide@gmail.com

Blonde Guy

The subway system still uses OS/2 and a lot of other operating systems from the time of the Metrocard introduction.

I read in the New York times that the automated signaling system on one line was installed in 1922 and is still running. They had a fire and got replacement parts from a train museum. Working with OS/2 on the subway system often seems like that. OS/2 is not used in any application that a customer could see.
Expert Consulting for OS/2 and eComStation