I’m an electronic security tech. I’ve installed alarm systems in 2024 whose design hasn’t changed since the 80s. If they want “modernized” remote control over a network, they usually slap on some sort of external unit like a cell radio or Ethernet adapter that does the translation to the decades-old protocols.
We still have to program the damn things with a USB to RS-232 adapter too.
I know of a door access control company that’s replacing systems from the 90s. The architecture back then was to have one central box that spiders out to each door. The doors only have an electric latch and a scanner.
Which isn’t how you’d design it today. That one box is a central point of failure for the whole building. You’d have microcontrollers at point of use that can cache access data and operate on their own if the server goes down. But these places want it to work like the old stuff, so it’s still designed that way.
I’m an electronic security tech. I’ve installed alarm systems in 2024 whose design hasn’t changed since the 80s. If they want “modernized” remote control over a network, they usually slap on some sort of external unit like a cell radio or Ethernet adapter that does the translation to the decades-old protocols.
We still have to program the damn things with a USB to RS-232 adapter too.
I got to leave RS-232 behind a couple years ago when I no longer needed to maintain my own rack switches. My condolences.
I know of a door access control company that’s replacing systems from the 90s. The architecture back then was to have one central box that spiders out to each door. The doors only have an electric latch and a scanner.
Which isn’t how you’d design it today. That one box is a central point of failure for the whole building. You’d have microcontrollers at point of use that can cache access data and operate on their own if the server goes down. But these places want it to work like the old stuff, so it’s still designed that way.
RS-232 isn’t going away anytime soon. It’s so simple that any microcontroller can use it.
old doesn’t mean bad.
Plus honestly I miss the certainty of screwing my cable in.