For better or (I hope not) worse, I've just bought a new Compaq Presario
4770 200MHz MMX with Windows 95. It is principally for my consulting
practice but I planned to use it as well as my trusty 3-year old Toshiba
Satellite laptop in my hamming operations. I immediately ran into problems
with a printer driver for my HP-4P (the driver had worked OK under Windows
95 with my previous 486 desktop).
In the course of calling Compaq's tech line several times for assistance in
my start-up, I heard from two different tech reps that with this modern
stuff I should only be running software that is 32-bit or at least declared
by its mfr to be compatible with Windows 95; otherwise even if the software
runs initially dire consequences could ultimately result, snowballing
beyond the initially guilty program (one of the two reps told me the
latter--I didn't yet ask for details).
Well, not only my fairly extensive inventory of ham software (several
contesting programs, antenna stuff, etc.) but most of what ham software
seems to be available doesn't meet one or both those criteria. How serious
is this problem? If it is serious, why didn't I encounter it with my old
486 desktop, which ran quite nicely under 95? Is it a problem with Compaq
or all latest Windows 95? Am I getting the straight scoop? (Minor aside:
I didn't find a Windows 95-specific HP-4P printer driver in the HP
website--anybody got one?.)
This has added to my frustrations with ham software, much of which doesn't
seem to be compatible with multitasking.
I suggest answers be sent directly to me at 74237.2073 and I will summarize
for the reflector.
TNX, Jim, VE1JF/W8JF
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