Serious XP Niceties

[mbpark]

I've just had the most wonderful experience doing application testing.

1. I learned that Windows Product Activation won't be used on XP systems that are bought under Microsoft Open License, meaning a corporation with 5 computers or more doesn't get the spyware version that "phones home". Needless to say, thank god I work for one.

2. I just ran through the suite of apps that makes my 2000 system cringe in fear: Visio 2000, DBArtisan 5.1, ERStudio 4.2, Office XP, and BMC Patrol SQL-Explorer for Oracle. I also installed the 8.1.7.0.0 Oracle 8i client connecting to my Oracle Names box to test remote connectivity across our LAN (which has 10 Oracle 8 and 8i servers running for three different projects now because of our clients). Connectivity to our 8.0.5 through 8.1.6 servers was pain-free. Artisan was faster than on my PIII/667 running 2000 SP2.

Even with compatibility mode, NO PROBLEMS. Excepting the fact my test machine is a PII/300 with 128MB RAM. This means I don't have to sit there and go nuts installing my system. I was able to get Visio 2000, which hates Windows 2000 even, running perfectly in NT4 compatibility mode. DBArtisan, which is also quite ornery under any OS, ran beautifully in compatibility mode.

LoadRunner 6.5 told me to take a flying leap, however. It's got a REALLY old version of InstallShield on it.

This is way better than 2000 for running the apps I need.

I'm trying Cygwin as we speak

Mitch

[jaguar]

*turns his back on the flashing lights, bells and whistles and goes back to trying to work why people suffer with emacs while muttering incoherantly about another sole lost to the devil..*