Windows Vista compatibility status

Our programmers are currently updating COMPRESS for compatibility with Microsoft Windows Vista. A Vista-compatible release of COMPRESS should be available in the third quarter of this year.

Note that Windows Vista is available in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Software compiled for 32-bit operating systems will not run on 64-bit operating systems (unless under some sort of emulator software). The 32-bit versions are by far more widely distributed than the 64-bit versions. But the 64-bit versions are popular for super high end engineering workstations, etc. To run COMPRESS on the 64-bit versions requires that the program be re-compiled specifically for that operating system.

Depending upon our program development load and available personnel we may decide to produce a separate edition of COMPRESS for the 64-bit version of Windows Vista. This possibility has been discussed but there is not yet a firm decision on if this will be done, or when it might be available if so.

I suggest that for the foreseeable future users have available a computer with a 32-bit version of Windows available to run COMPRESS. This could be Windows XP or Windows Vista, etc.

Tom Barsh
Codeware Technical Support

I have found nothing desirable concerning the new Vista as it is a memory hog and seems to not allow you to do anything custom without first begging for permission. Our IT guy at work even removed it from his new PC and installed XP.

I've yet to hear anyone I know have many good things to say about Vista.

Brian

Waskillywabbit,

Maybe you should ask some Microsoft stockholders or executives, they would say good thing$$$$. I read where Dell decided to offer XP as an option on PCs since they had a number of people who did not want Vista. For the record, my wife and I are both running Dell PCs with Vista at home that we bought in February 2007. No big problems, a few drivers not available for a while, but it would be too harsh to say we are Micosoft's Beta testers. Overall it works fine, but no big advantage over XP for home users. They touted the "back-up management software" but it is a clumsy joke, still easier just to copy the whole user file to my Maxon backup and be done with it.