Compatibility--very old programs

I need a new laptop and found a good deal at Staples on a Compaq, BUT
it comes with Windows Vista Home Premium, and I am running some pretty
old legacy programs. I'm wondering how to determine if they will run
OK under Vista.

One program is a development program (a superset of Basic) by Computer
Associates called "CA-Realizer." It originally ran under OS/2 and in
Windows 3.1 (see what I mean by old?). It does exactly what I want and
I wouldn't want to have to recode things for VB. I don't use an
installer but simply copy the whole directory onto a new computer. So
far (with Windows XP) that's always worked. Will it work with Vista?

Second is the Lotus SmartSuite which came with a W95 laptop. In
particular I use Lotus Word Pro as my word processor and have much
stored there. I also copied that directory onto one XP computer, and
used the installer for another. Will that program work OK?

Any help most appreciated.

Fred

"Fred" <> wrote in message
news:87968ad0-209e-4d53-949b-...
>I need a new laptop and found a good deal at Staples on a Compaq, BUT
> it comes with Windows Vista Home Premium, and I am running some pretty
> old legacy programs. I'm wondering how to determine if they will run
> OK under Vista.
>
> One program is a development program (a superset of Basic) by Computer
> Associates called "CA-Realizer." It originally ran under OS/2 and in
> Windows 3.1 (see what I mean by old?). It does exactly what I want and
> I wouldn't want to have to recode things for VB. I don't use an
> installer but simply copy the whole directory onto a new computer. So
> far (with Windows XP) that's always worked. Will it work with Vista?
>
> Second is the Lotus SmartSuite which came with a W95 laptop. In
> particular I use Lotus Word Pro as my word processor and have much
> stored there. I also copied that directory onto one XP computer, and
> used the installer for another. Will that program work OK?
>
> Any help most appreciated.
>
> Fred


I certainly had difficulty with Lotus 123.

What you can do is install Microsoft Virtual PC, which is free, and then
create a Win 95 virtual machine in which you can likely run the above
applications.
(I have done this using Win98SE and other similarly old applications.)


--
Michael Chare

Michael--

That sounds like a great solution, but Microsoft's site said the
"It runs on Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows
Vista Ultimate, Windows XP Professional, or Windows XP Tablet PC
Edition." My anticipated purchase comes with Vista Home Premium. Will
that OS support the Virtual Machine?

Fred

sure it will...


there are some other free alternatives too, VPC is simple and will do what
you want but just in case some are interested in trying out other
solutions>>>>

one is vmware server (free)
or vmware player (you must create the virtual machine configuration files
using www.easyvmx.com) free
and there is also virtualbox also free and opensource





"Fred" <> wrote in message
news:8209d7b6-007b-486e-a256-...
> Michael--
>
> That sounds like a great solution, but Microsoft's site said the
> "It runs on Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows
> Vista Ultimate, Windows XP Professional, or Windows XP Tablet PC
> Edition." My anticipated purchase comes with Vista Home Premium. Will
> that OS support the Virtual Machine?
>
> Fred

No it's no Supported per say, but it will work as will XP Home. Confused?,
well MS just doesn't support VM under Home, that's all and don't mean it
won't work. Thousands of people have installed it and works just fine.

--
All the best,
SG
How to Write a Newsgroup Post:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Usenet
Need your OEM Restore Disk?
http://restoredisks.com/


"Fred" <> wrote in message
news:8209d7b6-007b-486e-a256-...
> Michael--
>
> That sounds like a great solution, but Microsoft's site said the
> "It runs on Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows
> Vista Ultimate, Windows XP Professional, or Windows XP Tablet PC
> Edition." My anticipated purchase comes with Vista Home Premium. Will
> that OS support the Virtual Machine?
>
> Fred

"Michael Chare" <> wrote:

> "Fred" <> wrote in message
> news:87968ad0-209e-4d53-949b-...

<snip>
>> Second is the Lotus SmartSuite which came with a W95 laptop. In
>> particular I use Lotus Word Pro as my word processor and have much
>> stored there. I also copied that directory onto one XP computer, and
>> used the installer for another. Will that program work OK?
>
>
> I certainly had difficulty with Lotus 123.

A bit OT, but Lotus seems to have risen from the dead.

http://symphony.lotus.com/

Charlie42

yeah as if you get any real support on products they supposedly support!

You are better off with linux with the support MS gives! lol



"SG" <> wrote in message
news:...
> No it's no Supported per say, but it will work as will XP Home. Confused?,
> well MS just doesn't support VM under Home, that's all and don't mean it
> won't work. Thousands of people have installed it and works just fine.
>
> --
> All the best,
> SG
> How to Write a Newsgroup Post:
> http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Usenet
> Need your OEM Restore Disk?
> http://restoredisks.com/
>
>
> "Fred" <> wrote in message
> news:8209d7b6-007b-486e-a256-...
>> Michael--
>>
>> That sounds like a great solution, but Microsoft's site said the
>> "It runs on Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows
>> Vista Ultimate, Windows XP Professional, or Windows XP Tablet PC
>> Edition." My anticipated purchase comes with Vista Home Premium. Will
>> that OS support the Virtual Machine?
>>
>> Fred
>
>

In article <>,
Charlie42 <> wrote:
>
>A bit OT, but Lotus seems to have risen from the dead.
>

"Lotus: We put the NO in Notes"...

Hello Michael,

I'v been using Lotus Word Pro on Vista for ten months and it runs very well. As with
any older program on Vista, there are compatibility settings and permissions to deal
with. I've posted detailed instructions, tips, and comments for installing and using
Word Pro on Vista at Xpertss.com.

You have to register at Xpertss to read the discussions but there is no charge. After
logging in, look for "Word Pro R9.8 on Windows Vista" in the Tips section of the Word
Pro discussions.

Doug Mackie
Co-host, Lotus Word Pro discussions
http://www.xpertss.com
Doug M. in NJ