[mikewarot]

That ancient code is the crystalization of the knowledge of how to run, at the most basic level, all of the MTA. Emulating hardware is a good way to extend it's life while the decade long task of replacing it is underway.

Until you have directly used "legacy" machine that are mission critical, and understand how even a tiny error could cause the failure of a business and all the jobs that go with it, you can't avoid underestimating the true scale and scope of the problem.