I used to be a cigarette smoker.

Each New Year I resolved to stop smoking, and I’d stash my “last” half-pack of cigarettes deep inside a dark drawer. Months later, when I felt I needed just one cigarette, I’d retrieve the pack and start smoking again.

For a long time, I tried nicotine-replacement therapies: patches, gum, and even acupuncture. But I found that none of them worked because nicotine addiction wasn’t my problem. It was fear—fear that my morning coffee wouldn’t taste as good without a cigarette or that I would lose the reflective “slow thinking” time a cigarette break afforded.

Although that first week of nicotine withdrawal was uncomfortable, my fears were unfounded. My morning coffee actually tasted better (surprise!), and I found there was nothing to stop me from taking a fresh-air break to think.

Last January, many computer board OEMs made New Year’s resolutions to cease supporting products that were not good for them. They issued end-of-life/last-time-buy notices to customers who use old designs that are too costly to sustain.

Unfortunately, that strategy often fails. Some customers will return to request more units and, in response, OEMs will entertain restarting the production line. Why?

Because they’re afraid. They’re afraid they will upset a valuable customer or that they won’t make their sales targets without those problematic orders. But pretty soon they will find themselves scrambling once again to solve the very problems they wanted to avoid.

This year, when Agility and Resilience are more important than ever, what if you finally gave up those old products?

Instead of stashing those old designs deep inside a dark drawer only to resurrect them later, why not partner with a legacy equipment manufacturer (LEM) like GDCA?

Working with an LEM can help you satisfy your customers, unlock more value from the ongoing demand for old designs than doing it in-house, and keep your teams laser-focused on active and new products.

Take it from an ex-smoker: life will be better for everyone if you just give ’em up for good.