system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5:In this age of computers and (near)instant processing, why do some things like standing orders, direct debits etc not get taken at weekends?
gpt
Up until about 2005 the Bank of Queensland in Australia still used reel to reel tape for their nightly transfers.

I shit you not.

We are talking 1970's hardware like you see in an old bond movie.

The only reason they changed to cassette tapes (single spool data tapes not audio) was because the vacuum tubes in the reel to reel tape machine (the size of a standard fridge) failed and when the tech opened up the spare parts box the spare vacuum tubes had gone brittle and were useless.

They could have changed to cassette tape at anytime but if it's not broken why put the effort in.