From: noJimspam@omitThisHarganonline.com   
      
   On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 01:29:21 -0700, pdox42 wrote:   
   > - we currently have and use 3 dot matrix printers.  1 for an internal   
   > use label, 1 for a shipping label and the 3rd for our wide format   
   > reports.  we manufacture our own tractor fed labels in house.   
   >   
   > Last thoughts (for this post), this is *not* the first time we have   
   > tried to "move on."  We have been thru a lot   
      
   I feel your pain. Most of the regulars around here deal with PdoxWin on big   
   systems; I, however, have a 5 workstation p2p setup. I converted to Windows   
   back in 1994 when 3.11 and PdoxWin 5 came out -- painful, but I'm glad I   
   did. Since then, it's been a smooth path.   
      
   One alternative is simply to keep your DOS rig separate from your Windows   
   rig. Buy the cheapest no-OS boxes you can and install DOS 6 on them -- you   
   have the licenses, all you need is the install disk. Your rig will be   
   massively overpowered for DOS, lightning fast, and should last as long as   
   the hardware doesn't fail.   
      
   Maybe set up one box as a server using DOS 6's networking (better you than   
   me -- Windows networking is *easy*, but evidently no longer backward   
   compatible to 1992). Have this DOS server box run the modem (which will now   
   work flawlessly and ultra-fast), get the data stream from your Windows   
   machine, and host the Pdox tables -- but not run Pdox. Do Pdox on the other   
   machines.   
      
   I am not an expert, just a small business owner who has to be his own IT   
   guy. That said, I would expect this rig to cost under $1500, and to be able   
   to replace your current ancient and malfunctioning system more easily than   
   any other method (perhaps even slide right in, keep your fingers crossed).   
   With healthy machines that are 'way faster than you need, you can then   
   design a replacement at your leisure, or even keep on using DOS for another   
   decade.   
      
   My 2 cents,   
      
   Jim Hargan   
      
   PS, If I was starting again from scratch I'd buy new Vista boxes and   
   install Access, ultimately working towards an Access frontend for a SQL   
   backend. This is neither the cheapest nor the easiest nor the best, but the   
   upgrade path is assured. Right now PDoxWin works great on XP, but hiccups   
   with Vista and will not be upgraded, ever.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)