How to overcome Legacy | Jim Wilt

We're launching into 2024 with the wisdom of  Jim Wilt, who brings to light the ghostly world of legacy systems that haunt our industry. With his rich history as a chief architect and CTO, Jim regales us with tales from the front lines, ranging from his bewildering Burroughs (now Unisys) legacy code encounters to how generative AI might be the herald of a new era for these ancient digital beasts.As we peel away the mystery of outdated systems, we delve into the gritty realities faced by the developers who wrestle with them daily. Jim and I dissect the value of raw insights from forums against the more polished Net Promoter Scores, and how these candid feedback loops can reshape the future of our technological infrastructure. We confront the lurking shadows of security vulnerabilities and examine the delicate dance between financial prudence and the urgent need for innovation, all through a lens that insists on transparency for the sake of our shareholders' peace of mind.Wrapping up this deep dive, Jim shares a visionary perspective on the importance of recognizing and empowering the unsung heroes of our tech world—those who proactively prevent system fires rather than just dousing the flames. We navigate through the tumultuous seas of retail, where sleek customer interfaces belie the legacy chaos churning beneath, and champion a strategy of incremental improvement that could save us from the siren call of wholesale system overhauls. Listen in for a compelling conversation that might just transform how you view the past, present, and future of your company's technological foundations.