This is an odd thought process, but I think a lot of people are stuck in a specific year with their thoughts. Let's take Remote Working or as it was called in the 90's, technomads. That's a 34 year old idea that was made before web browsers became a big thing.
In the medical world it's a common thing to see the latest equipment hooked up to a computer that is running windows XP or earlier. I've run a piece of equipment to a specialist fix it shop because the needed video card was made by ATI. The equipment isn't anything new and the manufacturer demands that the older computer be used. The modern hospital is about 20 years old if you ever think about it.
Someone here talked about Cyberpunk being outdated because our tech is even more powerful and doing even cooler things. People talk about it being around the corner, and don't realize we already passed it.
So, why are so many people and fields caught in years gone by? What is hampering them? How does this effect politics? What can be done to speed things up?
Sounds about right. To nuance it a bit, while cost is the primary issue why hardware in military equipment lacks behind the civilian space, some of it is also due to design limitations being put by the military for the intended application.
For instance, Thales (the defense Thales) got commissioned for an assignment to assess the costs to upgrade network system of the ship (from God knows what to a 10 Gigabit system with future proofing in mind for 10+ Gigabit system in near future, can't recall the exact specifics.
While an obvious solution is to remove old network infrastructure and replace it with new, more modern system. Unfortunately it was not that easy, since this system and (physical) connectors not only had to carry your regular ol' network connectivity, but also supply power and stuff and withstand certain types of forces and military standards (salt water intrusion, EMP attacks to name a few). In short, the solution to the connectors was to use some type of exotic (read expensive) hybrid connectors (looked like a Phoenix Contact M23 Hybrid connectors) that met and exceeded those specs and could carry 10 Gigabit ethernet connection without introducing any further signal losses. That connector alone would cost a few thousands Euroshillings per unit to place it in a LCF frigate.
Honestly, if it weren't for a new Thales radar system, the government wouldn't have upgraded the ships network connectivity, since the old system was sufficient for its intended usage.
Ehh, idk about that. There are some pretty sophisticated radar, guidance, and optical systems that are way beyond stuff you'll find on the civilian market.
And by 90's, you mean, no modern PC was using it by 1992.
It's one of those really weird things. The military only advances if they see a war. 3D gaming owes a ton to military simulation companies. Pilotwings 64 was created by one, and that same company designed the chip the N64 had. A lot of the interconnected phone stuff we have is from blue wave tech in the sandbox. Heck, I think Sony has military contracts to design chips, and uses us to test them. They claim higher sales to cover up the contracts.
Then you see the floppy disk on the submarine and wonder what happened.
Not even Fast Ethernet? My god!
Yup. That's the military.