Windows 95, arguably the first PC gaming OS, is still being used... to sort eggs in Germany

Recently I wondered if I could download Steam on to my Mum's far from sprightly desktop (I'm trying to offer her a PC Gaming education). Unfortunately, it turns out my Mum has held on to an HP Pro 3010 Microtower machine from 2009. Its integrated graphics are obviously nothing to write home about, though at the very least it's been maintained well enough that it's running on a mostly up to date version of Windows 10—which is more than I can say for a certain chicken farm in Germany.

The Duddeldorf-based farm's massive 40 by 40 metre egg-counting machine still runs on Windows 95, an operating system that turned 30 years old last week (via WDR). Farmer Peter Huber is far from the only business owner out there still clinging to the ancient OS, but his comments to WDR offers some insight into why it remains so popular despite official extended support from Microsoft ending in 2001.

For one thing, it may not surprise you to learn that egg-counting software is actually pretty niche, or that the programmer that originally built the software is no longer around to provide updates compatible with later operating systems. So, unless some young upstart wants to bring chicken farming into the modern age, hen farmers like Huber have few options but to stick with Windows 95.

As the egg-counting software isn't compatible with anything more recent than Windows 95, Huber is also constrained in what printer he can use to print off the software's eggsacting data (sorry). As such, in WDR's report, one can spot the authentically aged plastic of an elderly Brother printer just off to the side of Huber's museum-grade setup.

Still, there is also an element of 'if it ain't broke,' with Huber claiming that the Windows 95 system has worked "smoothly" since it was first installed, and that he finds it runs even more "smoothly than newer programs." Having witnessed just how long my Mum's slightly less aged Windows 10 desktop takes to boot up, my only response to that is 'really?'

To be fair to Peter Huber, at least he's not using, say, a Commodore 64. And if his Windows 95 system still does everything he needs and isn't at all connected to the internet, then what's the harm? Obviously, Microsoft would prefer for everyone to be on the same secure page, but as one can read, that's simply not practical for every user.

With Windows 10 itself staring down an imminent end of support, many have been miffed to discover that their still perfectly usable hardware doesn't meet Windows 11's stringent system requirements. There are ways around this—or, failing that, there's always Linux. But even with these options, there are still bound to be PC users who are either simply uncomfortable with this level of technical finagling, or those whose use case is so niche that upgrading beyond Windows 95 would be a bird-brained move.

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