Im not doing any new hardware design, just new software for existing hardware platform. specifically, Im writing new software for circa 1982 video games(atari) and pinball machines (Williams). You are both right, nowadays, it would be much easier to use a programmable microcontroller etc. But I have a perfectly good hardware system already. Lots of what I do is enhance old code anyway. If I really want to get fancy, I can use newer pinball or video game hardware which has more hardware toys to play with.