A German chicken farm still uses Windows 95 to run a 40-by-40-metre egg-counting machine, even though the operating system is 30 years old and Microsoft ended extended support in 2001. Farmer Peter Huber says the system has worked smoothly since installation and performs better for his needs than newer programs. Its continued use is less a deliberate embrace of vintage technology than a practical constraint: the egg-counting software was built for Windows 95, is highly specialized, and its original programmer is no longer available to update it. The software also limits the farm’s choice of printer, leaving an old Brother model beside the aging computer.
Huber’s setup illustrates why some users and businesses cannot simply upgrade when an operating system becomes obsolete. If a system reliably runs essential equipment, and replacing it would require unavailable software or costly technical work, staying put may be the most practical option. The machine is apparently not connected to the internet, reducing the risks associated with using unsupported software. The example also connects to the approaching end of Windows 10 support: newer hardware requirements can leave functional computers unable to move to Windows 11, while alternatives such as Linux may demand technical expertise. For specialized, offline tasks, upgrading can be more disruptive than keeping an old system that still does its job.
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