As technology marches on at an unprecedented pace, many devices and standards have fallen by the wayside, replaced by faster, sleeker, and more efficient alternatives. Not all outdated technologies have gone quietly into the night, however. Some linger on, defying predictions of their demise and continuing to serve niche purposes.
I’ve been writing about technology since the early 1990s and have used a vast array of tech products over the decades, moving on from them when their inevitable replacements arrived. That isn’t the case for everyone, though, as plenty of places still rely on antiquated tech, as we’re about to see.
For this article I’ve picked five pieces of tech that I’ve – surprisingly – been reminded of due to stories in the news over the past 12 months.
1. Floppy Disks: Storage relics of a bygone era
Floppy disks, once the pinnacle of portable data storage, have been obsolete for decades. When I first began writing about hardware and software for PC Home magazine in the UK, I used to hand my work to the editor on a 3.5in disk. I can’t remember exactly when I last saved a file onto a floppy, but it’s unlikely to have been this century.
Yet, amazingly, these magnetic storage devices continue to hold on in certain specialized sectors. Some legacy industrial systems, for example, still rely on floppy disks for software updates and data transfers. This is especially true for aerospace and military equipment, where, as crazy as it might sound, the cost and risk of overhauling entire systems to accommodate modern storage formats can be prohibitive.
While consumer devices haven’t used floppy disks in years, manufacturers still produce them in limited quantities to meet niche demands. You can buy floppy disks on Amazon, and floppy disk readers too. I’d be tempted to buy a reader just to discover what’s on the handful of floppy disks I know are lurking somewhere in a box in the loft – but I imagine it would only lead to disappointment
The simplicity and reliability in certain controlled environments make floppy disks surprisingly resilient. Even as storage capacities and transfer speeds of modern devices have soared, the humble floppy remains a steadfast solution for certain outdated systems, although they are slowly being eradicated.
In 2024, we reported how the Japanese government claimed to have “won the war” on floppy disks in June, and this was followed by news that the German Navy was looking to replace the floppy drives used on its four Brandenburg class F123 frigates with a modern emulated solution. Then in October came the news that the San Francisco Muni Metro light rail system’s DOS-based floppy disk solution was finally being overhauled, at the cost of $212 million.
2. VGA ports: Still big in Japan
The VGA (Video Graphics Array) port, introduced in 1987, revolutionized how computers connected to monitors. Recently, while searching for a mini USB cable for a friend, I stumbled upon no fewer than three VGA monitor cables buried in my box of old wires. They’ve likely sat there untouched for at least fifteen years, relics of a bygone era. The monitors they once connected to have long since disposed of.
In the era of HDMI and DisplayPort, one might expect VGA to have disappeared entirely, but it persists in various applications and its presence is largely due to its widespread use in older hardware that remains in operation, such as projectors, industrial equipment, and some educational systems.
Many businesses and institutions are hesitant to replace functioning systems simply to upgrade connectivity. VGA also benefits from its durability and compatibility across a broad range of devices, making it a practical choice in environments where reliability is valued over cutting-edge performance.
Even in 2025, a number of new laptops and monitors can be found with VGA ports, ensuring backward compatibility. Japan, which clings on to older technology much more determinedly than many other countries, has a number of brand new laptops with a VGA port, alongside HDMI and DP.
3. Parallel ports: The unsung survivors
Parallel ports, which were once ubiquitous for connecting printers, scanners, and other peripherals, have long been rendered obsolete by USB and wireless technologies. While searching through my box of old wires (see the VGA entry) I found a parallel cable that had once connected my PC to a scanner or printer – possibly both. I’ve no idea when it was last used. I do still have a (very dusty) scanner in the loft, and probably an inkjet printer or two, but those are USB devices.
Parallel ports do still persist in industrial and scientific settings where older equipment continues to play a vital role. Machines like CNC (computer numerical control) tools, laboratory instruments, and legacy industrial devices often depend on parallel ports to function.
The cost and complexity of upgrading these systems often outweigh the perceived benefits, leaving parallel ports as an essential link. They may be slow and clunky compared to modern interfaces, but their reliability and compatibility with older equipment have kept them alive.
Manufacturers even produce USB-to-parallel adapters, and last year a Japanese firm rolled out a new PCI Express adapter that makes it possible to add the antiquated parallel port to modern PCs. The drivers for it come on a CD-Rom and offer support for Windows XP upwards.
4. Fax machines: An office dinosaur that refuses extinction
Fax machines are synonymous with outdated technology, but they remain stubbornly entrenched in specific industries. Healthcare, legal, and governmental sectors still rely on fax communication due to regulatory requirements, security concerns, and ingrained workflows. The fax machine’s ability to send secure, physical copies of documents continues to hold appeal in environments where digital alternatives are viewed with skepticism.
In some regions, faxing is still a legal requirement for transmitting sensitive documents. For instance, in parts of the United States, and of course Japan, the healthcare sector adheres to faxing as a standard method for transmitting medical records and prescriptions. While e-fax services have modernized the process somewhat, the physical fax machine remains a fixture in far more offices than you might expect.
My memory of the fax machine? The thrill of hearing it suddenly whir to life and the suspense of wondering what message was slowly making its way through. There’s no such anticipation with emails – they just pop up, ready to read, without ceremony. Friends who would occasionally fax you rude drawings at work brought a fun element of danger to the company fax machine, even more so in my case as in one office I worked in, the device was right next to my boss’s desk.
The pager, once a ubiquitous tool for communication in the pre-smartphone era, is far from dead in 2025. Although smartphones have replaced pagers for the general population, these devices remain indispensable in certain professions, particularly in healthcare. Many doctors, nurses, and first responders continue to rely on pagers for their simplicity, reliability, and ability to function in environments where cellular networks may be patchy.
Pagers are also prized for their long battery life and the ability to receive messages without requiring an internet connection. This makes them particularly useful in hospitals, where signal interference from medical equipment can be an issue. My sister has worked in a number of UK hospitals, and I remember being impressed when I first saw her pager – known in NHS as “the bleep” – many years ago. She hated it though and was thrilled when she no longer had to carry one.
While their use has dwindled significantly, including in hospitals where smartphones are being used more and more, pagers are still manufactured and supported to cater to niche requirements. The antiquated technology hit the headlines in 2024, when devices belonging to Hezbollah members – who had chosen them over smartphones for security purposes – began to simultaneously explode, courtesy of Israeli spycraft.
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waynewilliams@onmail.com (Wayne Williams)
