XPost: comp.os.linux.advocacy, comp.os.linux.misc   
   From: nospam@needed.invalid   
      
   On Fri, 10/4/2024 8:34 AM, CrudeSausage wrote:   
   > On 2024-10-03 10:46 p.m., Steve Hayes wrote:   
   >> On Thu, 3 Oct 2024 09:58:04 -0400, CrudeSausage    
   >> wrote:   
   >>   
   >>> On 2024-10-03 12:40 a.m., Steve Hayes wrote:   
   >>>> Perhaps a law should be enacted that any computer software that is "no   
   >>>> longer supported" should be made open source.   
   >>>   
   >>> It happens a lot but there is no law pushing for that. Nevertheless,   
   >>> what you mentioned above is true albeit most hypothetical. In most   
   >>> cases, even obsolete formats can be read by the new suites because there   
   >>> is a converter built into the software. I imagine this was a problem in   
   >>> the 90s with the format of 80s software which suddenly disappeared, but   
   >>> it no longer seems to be true. Still, I agree that formats should be   
   >>> open-source.   
   >>   
   >> I don't know about Linux, but Windows 11 cannot run programs that are   
   >> used to read or create older documents, and if you put earlier   
   >> versions on a new computer Microsoft won't let you run them. Windows   
   >> XP, the 32-bit version anyway, should be made open source.   
   >   
   > There is a compatibility mode in the new versions of Windows which do indeed   
   allow you to run old software. It was demonstrated that you can fairly easily   
   run software made even for Windows 3.0. Please produce a few examples of old   
   programs which don't    
   run _at all_ in Windows 11, and I'm sure that someone with some time on their   
   hands will not only install and run the software, but explain how to get it   
   working.   
   >   
      
   Windows 11 is 64 bit only, and cannot run programs with 16 bit installers   
   or programs with 16 bit code. This means some older games won't run.   
      
   windows 10 has a 32 bit edition, but that's a kind of "limited" OS when   
   you are trying to run a browser that is greedy for RAM. The 32 bit edition   
   can run an old copy of Doom. Maybe you install two copies of the OS,   
   on your disk drive (you're allowed and they use the same server-side license),   
   a 64-bit one (for browser work) and a 32-bit one   
   (where you do your WinXP era work), and then you have better odds   
   of getting some things to work.   
      
   Even when running the 32-bit one, as you say, the Compatibility Assistant   
   can make some things work, but it doesn't always succeed.   
      
      Paul   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)