One Ancient Commodore Amiga Runs the Heat and AC for 19 Public Schools
The 30-year-old computer has been running day and night for decades

Somewhere in Grand Rapids, Michigan, there is an ancient Commodore Amiga that
is hard at work. For over a quarter century it has been controlling the heat
and air conditioning at 19 different schools and running nonstop. It's still
kicking, for now anyway.

A report from local news outlet WoodTV, details the situation:

The Commodore Amiga was new to GRPS in the early 1980s and it has been working
tirelessly ever since. GRPS Maintenance Supervisor Tim Hopkins said that the
computer was purchased with money from an energy bond in the 1980s. It replaced
a computer that was "about the size of a refrigerator."
Since then, the machine has tirelessly controlled the heating and AC systems at
the 19 schools under its jurisdiction using a system that sends out commands
over short-wave radio frequencies. The trouble is, those same frequencies are
used by maintenance workers' walkie-talkies which can cause interference.

That, and it'd be next to impossible to find the parts—specifically a 1200-baud
modem—to fix the machine should it give out. The 30-year-old system is a little
sub-optimal (go figure), and should it give out, the systems at the affected
schools would have to be controlled by hand.

The trusty computer is up for a replacement though. If the local voters pass a
$175 million bond proposal in November, the computer and the associated system
will be replaced at a cost of around $2 million. It's clearly a much needed
upgrade, but you kind of have to wonder how much longer that Amiga could last.

/\llen

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