What Are You Doing With Your Out of Date Software?

Discussion in 'Gadgets & Tech Talk' started by Von Jones, Mar 1, 2015.

  1. Von Jones

    Von Jones Supreme Member
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    When I bought me a new computer one of three the first thing I did was put my favorite PC game,Tetris,, in. Immediately a disturbing message appeared on the monitor - Windows does not support tada tada tada... In disbelief I tried it again...and again. I was so distraught.. How am I going to play my game now :(. Too bad I had donated my old computer to Goodwill. :(

    So what have you done with software that you can no longer use on you new laptop or PC?
     
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  2. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    I know what you mean, and that is a really frustrating thing to have happen !
    For a long time, I used Microsoft Digital Image to enhance my photos. Eventually, the program got out of date, and there was no more updates for it, but I could still use the CD that i had for it. When it quit, I found a new CD on ebay and used that, and finally the poor old dinosaur computer gave up and died.
    Now, I have a Dell with Windows 8 on it, but no way to install or use the old program. Or anything that installs with a CD , for that matter.
    I have just looked for something similar online that I can use to replace the old programs that have become unworkable for one reason or another. It might be that if you google the game that you like, there is an app for it, or even something that you can just download from the internet.
     
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  3. John Donovan

    John Donovan Veteran Member
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    I think you can either try running it under compatibility mode (google it, it's really simple), or you could download DOSBOX (once again, found on google with download and guides), if the game is THAT old.

    DOSBOX allowed me to play Skyroads, a game I used to play way back in the 90's, which is too outdated to be able to be played natively by Windows.

    As for the thread's question, I either update it outdated software, or I delete it and search for a modern alternative.
     
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  4. Richard Paradon

    Richard Paradon Supreme Member
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    When I am finished with an old PC or any appliance, I just bring it to one of the orphanages. Even if it is not up to date, the kids don't seem to mind.
     
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  5. Pat Baker

    Pat Baker Supreme Member
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    Tetris is the only game I have played on my computer. I look for updated versions of the old software when I need to update my computer. My software is all work related so getting updates is not really a problem.
     
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  6. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    I'm up and down a lot and my laptop keep logging me out in just a few minutes. Is that my network or what?
     
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  7. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    I hate that, every so often, an update to my computer OS will make some of the stuff that I have been using - and paid for - obsolete. In most cases, the bigger stuff will be something that is still operational, so they'll come up with an update to match the new OS requirements, but that's not always the case. I have a bunch of old computers around that work, so if I wanted to, I could probably access a lot of it on another computer, but the reality is that this isn't something that I'm likely to do.

    When I switched to Macs, I made sure that I had working Windows machines around for the Windows stuff that I thought I wouldn't be able to do without, but I ended up doing without it, for the most part, or finding Mac equivalents.
     
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  8. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    Hard to say, Marie. I'd suggest clearing your cache and rebooting your machine. Be sure to click on the "Keep me logged in" button (or whatever it's called) when you log in again.
     
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  9. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    I always click on 'keep mt logged in' but if I go out to smoke or even check on supper for just a couple minutes I get logged offline.
    Beth it may just be the area, not sure.
    I will try what you suggested tomorrow, thank you.
     
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  10. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    I sure don't know but it gets aggravating at times. I have Windows.Thanks .
     
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  11. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    fuji.jpg

    I cleaned out my desk today and found these. Although I didn't even have this desk the last time I used a floppy disk, they were there. These would be tutorials that I programmed for MS-DOS and wrote myself many years ago to use with my paramedic classes and which I also sold as shareware on drug calculations and practice problems relating to EMS drug administrations. Now I'm tempted to drag out one of my old computers and see if I can get it to work.
     
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  12. Hedi Mitchell

    Hedi Mitchell Supreme Member
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    I have Chromebook, Os - it has updates once a week- always about photos .. drives me nuts
    have not done anything with old laptop yet
    - does not work
     
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  13. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    I bet I have software hanging around that is 30 years old. The stuff is useless, yet I won't throw it away. I'm SURE someone I know is gonna need a copy of DOS 3.0 or Windows 95 one of these days. At least I don't have any 8" floppies kicking around.

    Regarding legacy games...most of those are online. This site has a bunch. LINK
    You can search "Tetris Online" and see what is available to play over the web.

    I also believe there are external CD drives and even floppy disc drives available that plug into your USB port, although they would only be useful for transferring files (photos, documents, etc)...most software that is on them is likely to be outdated.
     
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  14. Jacob Petersheim

    Jacob Petersheim Very Well-Known Member
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    Keeping old software at least partially operational can be dicey. I still have Micrografx Windows Draw 6.0 running under Windows 10 with a few quirks, mostly because it supports features still in Windows that few alternatives do easily today. But mainly as a software developer's tool. Newer drawing tools are better for general purpose use.

    It helps a lot if you can run 32-bit Windows 10 for such things though. That at least still has the 16-bit WOW subsystem.
     
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  15. Mary Stetler

    Mary Stetler Veteran Member
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    I don't knooooowww...They will all be antiques someday. A lot of people wanted my old Pac Man arcade game....
     
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