Semiconductor & MEMS Fabrication

Oh, man, is this ever a hassle.

I work with computer managed access control systems. The software is mission specific, and does NOT like to be moved around.

I am working on four systems right now, trying to find a hardware/software combination that will work the legacy products seamlessly with the current generation of computers.

It gives me a headache!

This once was a major issue for me- "upgrading" an operating system would render such things as my accounting software or my CAD software or T & E equipment software unusable. Either spend big bucks to upgrade applications (that otherwise meet my needs quite well), or revert back to the older system.

Final solution: switch to Linux, with a virtual machine to run legacy Windows software for which I have no easy replacement. Haven't had to face this issue since....

Legislation should be enacted to reduce throwing old models but to fix upgrading plug-in type extras to save materials which go into dump sites.

We have to keep one PC running Windows 98 because our legacy CAD system won't run on anything later. We have about 9000 old drawings which might be needed so converting the lot was not an option.

Yes! I run hydraulic modeling software which needs Windows 98 or Windows NT but now all of our new computers come with Windows 7. Also, some of the software only allows you to install one version of the software on each machine. So, now I have 6 computers spread out throughout the office. I am trying to consolidate them all into one cubicle but trying to get IT to buy the proper equipment is a nightmare.

We have no choice about upgrading the software, the hydraulic models take weeks or even months to recalibrate if they are converted to a newer software version and that means more money from the client or it doesn't happen. So in most cases it doesn't happen.

I have never bought a newer version of an operating system or hardware simply because it existed. I'm of the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" school, and the only way I move up is when there's some software I want to use that won't work on my current system. For operating systems, I've decided it is easier to buy new hardware/software together than to try to upgrade, and then I attempt to move the application software.

I still have an old box with dos and windows 3.x on it that has a software/hardware combo I want to continue to use that won't work on newer windoze versions. I'm experimenting with Linux now and will start looking at virtual machine next. Maybe that old application will run on it.