The VVS brought in large numbers of aircraft from all over the country, though most were obsolete and training machines.

Thus, Russian pilots flew obsolete machines in combat throughout the war in the face of much better enemy airplanes.

In an industry that worships the newest technology, hanging on to obsolete machines was long unthinkable.

"The end-user should understand that and not go with what will become an obsolete machine," he said.

That means consumers must figure out each format's advantages and risk being stuck with obsolete machines if one camp backs down.

I was still wondering what kick they got driving an obsolete machine on flat concrete when they could be up here with us.

I decided to buy three obsolete envelope-making machines.

But that was a decade ago, before personal computers rendered such machines all but obsolete.

"We can't afford to treat our workers like replacement parts in some obsolete machine," he said.

Two color wheels, the large drums where the leather is dyed, were running, and a skeleton crew was breaking down obsolete machines.