It seems that when an apparent simple problem rises to the surface,
solutions are not always straightforward.

My question was whether WindPlay would run in the newer XP version of
Windows.  Almost all answers I received agreed that, in general, the
older the _program_, the more likely one will run into incompatibilities,
especially those 'oldies' that you steadily upgraded, even from DOS to
Windows, and which had some dependency on 'old' DOS drivers.  Those
will be the worst, if not impossible.

I contacted a software company that issues a Tax calculation program
each year and goes way back to the 'good old DOS days'.  They were very
vague when I asked the question whether an older version of the same
would run in XP.  There response was mainly in the form of 'why would
you anyway', hardly any of their business.

Most people that are working with XP seem to agree that data files are
not a problem.  Hopefully companies that sold expensive programs that
were acquired to run in prior Windows versions will help with the
transfer, and not use this as another 'gotcha'.

For those people that are still waiting for the release of the
conversion software for the Spencer Chase & Gene Gerety scanner using
the Gerety Rollscan-01 card, should remember that nothing has been
said, as far as I know, about its ability to run under Windows XP.

Please do not accept my opinion as coming from an 'expert', but just
a compilation of inputs I received.

Should there be someone who is daring enough to call him or herself
an expert in this field, most of us could benefit from a more precise
analysis.  After all just being on this site shows that we may have to
deal with the details sooner or later.

Something to take note of is that one of the major laptop and PC
manufacturers seems no longer to give you an option on the operating
system other than Windows XP.  Even their remanufactured units,
originally equipped with earlier versions are now offered for sale
with XP.  The answer to my question why this was so, was simply 'No
more contracts with Microsoft'.

I do not know if the so-called 'independent resellers' follow the same
approach.

Albert de Boer

 [ George Bogatko remarks, "Windoze XP -- the best reason to buy
 [ a Macintosh!"  Actually, existing third-party vendors will probably
 [ enjoy brisk sales of their emulator programs which enable Win95/98
 [ programs to run under Macintosh and UNIX/Linux operating systems.
 [ That's where the hope lies, not with Microsoft.  -- Robbie