Why these systems still matter
Many organizations still depend on IBM i environments because they run critical business processes reliably and have often been shaped around the needs of the business over many years.
The issue is usually not that the platform suddenly stopped mattering. The issue is that the environment around it has changed. Staff retire, newer systems need to connect, interfaces feel dated, and the business still needs the platform to keep doing important work.
That is why support today is less about defending the past and more about keeping the system practical, supportable, and connected to what the business needs now.