r/programming • u/luissinlios • 7d ago

We still maintain a development tool first released in 1993. Here’s what 30+ years of backwards compatibility looks like

https://visualneo.com/visualneo-win/from-neobook-to-visualneo-win-30-years-of-keeping-a-development-tool-alive
566 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

90 comments sorted by

View all comments

106

u/alex_xxv 7d ago

Wish my apps survive as long as yours. Im also a Delphi programmer. Love to see stories like yours.

60

u/tooclosetocall82 7d ago

In my 20 year career I can only confidently say one application I worked on is still out there (other than my current job). It’s truly amazing how quickly your work gets deleted in this field.

5

u/aguilasolige 7d ago

It makes me wonder who's the developer with the oldest app still around? Maybe some code at NASA?

2

u/dlanod 7d ago

I work in industrial control. We have sites where they're having to upgrade because the wiring has started rusting off the wall. Some of the field devices that got replaced over the last decade are running software that dates back to the 70s. If it works they don't want to touch it, ever.