New PC - x64 Windows
 

To anyone considering upgrading to x64 Windows at some point in time, be prepared to lose access to some of your favorite programs.

a) There are no anti-virus programs available.
b) EPSILON - the DOS editor I've used for 15 years - does not run. I'm changing to XEmacs. My fingers will be tied in knots until I get used to the changes!
c) My favorite database program, Q+E a.k.a. DataDirect Explorer a.k.a. Vision Explorer, is a 16-bit Windows program. It too doesn't work. I'm trying to locate a 32-bit version but I am not hopeful.

[QUOTE]a) There are no anti-virus programs available[/QUOTE]

[url]http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html[/url]

Isn't there a compatibility mode for older (DOS or 16-bit) programs? Or do these programs access the hardware in a weird way?

[QUOTE=Xyzzy]Isn't there a compatibility mode for older (DOS or 16-bit) programs? Or do these programs access the hardware in a weird way?[/QUOTE]
The 64bit mode of x86-64 doesn't inlcude support of 16 bit program segments.

Strange, but working, would be the use of a 32 bit windows on a x86 emulator.. However, this would be very slow, but probably fast enough for 16 bit software.

[QUOTE=Dresdenboy]The 64bit mode of x86-64 doesn't inlcude support of 16 bit program segments.[/QUOTE]

Does this mean that DOS apps don't run in dosemu under x86-64 Linux?

Alex

[QUOTE=Xyzzy]Isn't there a compatibility mode for older (DOS or 16-bit) programs? Or do these programs access the hardware in a weird way?[/QUOTE]

WindowsXP includes a virtual machine that 16-bit apps run within.

All I can tell you is that some of the DOS programs I use regularly do not run - epsilon being the biggie. All the others are replaceable.

I found a 32-bit Q+E - it produces the database summaries. Unfortunately, x64 Windows won't load my 32-bit ODBC drivers.

[QUOTE=Prime95]All I can tell you is that some of the DOS programs I use regularly do not run - epsilon being the biggie. All the others are replaceable.

I found a 32-bit Q+E - it produces the database summaries. Unfortunately, x64 Windows won't load my 32-bit ODBC drivers.[/QUOTE]

Use VMWare or such?

I hacked my registry to get Q+E working. :banana: :banana: I can't live without that tool.

I've been remapping XEmacs keys to match epsilon. This will minimize the transition pain. As you saw yesterday, I updated the master database using my new machine.

For the most part x64 Windows has been a relatively painless transition.

Oh, a new minor glitch. The dancing banana looks like its overdosed on speed. Firefox is running animated GIFs at full speed!

[QUOTE=Prime95]The dancing banana looks like its overdosed on speed. Firefox is running animated GIFs at full speed![/QUOTE]They move?

I guess I need an upgrade...

:sick: