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Thread: Special Purchase for Veterans

  1. #1
    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Special Purchase for Veterans

    Apparently, Solidworks allows veterans (US and Canada) to buy the educational version of Solidworks for $20.

    https://www.solidworks.com/media/mil...cation-program

    Ron "Where'd I stash that $%^# DD-214" Wanttaja
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  2. #2
    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Good news and bad news.

    I'd applied for this back in May, and never heard back from Solidworks. I reapplied in June. Still nothing. July. Nope.

    In desperation, I applied via a seldom-used Gmail account. Got the approval three days later, plus the links for buying the 2022-2023 Educational version.

    The BAD news: Unlike the previous edition available via EAA, the 2022-2023 edition isn't compatible with Windows 7.

    Sigh.

    My problem is that I use too many older tools that aren't compatible with Windows 10. Might buy a small PC just for SW.

    Ron Wanttaja

  3. #3
    DaleB's Avatar
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    Just curious, what's your objection to Windows 10?
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    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DaleB View Post
    Just curious, what's your objection to Windows 10?
    I have several tools I use regularly that aren't compatible with Windows 10, and compatible versions aren't available.

    An example is Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0. I wrote a graphic orbit analysis tool in it, and am still using it for some consulting I've been doing since retirement and some hobby writing.
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    I also use it to automatically generate vbulletin code to make it simple to extract data from Excel to include tables in postings in the EAA forum and other fora.
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    LOP - drive system
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    I am contemplating setting up a virtual machine running Windows 7 on a Windows 11 box that will allow me to still run these old programs. I currently do that *now*, using a virtual machine running Windows XP to run a drawing package that dates from the early 80s. Much of the graphics I used in articles and books in the early '90s (for instance, "Kitplane Construction" and my two nautical novels) were drawn in an early version of Canvas (16 bit), and the current version of Canvas won't load the old versions. So I run the old version of Canvas in a virtual XP window, call up an old drawing, and re-save it in Adobe Illustrator, which the new version *will* load.

    There are literally hundreds of drawings, and no way to do this in bulk.

    From my experience doing this, virtual windows are a pain to work in, so I'm hesitant to transition to Windows 11 and try to use them for the VisualBasic stuff. in addition, there's a program I wrote in VB that runs every time the computer boots up, and I'd lose that as well.

    Several other tools I have aren't compatible with Windows 10/11, but updated versions are available. PITA to transition, though.

    My Surface laptop is running Windows 11, as is my wife's computer. Got no problem with them, they're handling the home network better than my Windows 7 box. So I'm not just kicking and holding my breath because I don't wanna face an updated Windows.

    Current plan is to buy another computer and use it as a dedicated Solidworks box. I'd tuck it out of the way and use a KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse switch) to swap back and forth between the Windows 7 and Windows 11 computers.

    Ron Wanttaja
    Last edited by rwanttaja; 08-26-2022 at 11:02 AM.

  5. #5
    DaleB's Avatar
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    Ah, gotcha. Yeah, I had similar issues with software that was unable to run with previous versions of Windows. Had to keep some DOS and Win98 machines around way longer than I would have liked. Fortunately I was eventually able to cut all of that stuff loose.
    Measure twice, cut once...
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    Flying an RV-12. I am building a Fisher Celebrity, slowly.

  6. #6
    PaulDow's Avatar
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    Instead of setting up separate hardware, I’d suggest the free VirtualBox from Oracle. I’m running a XP computer off of Windows 11 for some old Cricut stencil cutter software. It still gives access to network and USB ports. Virtualization setting needs to be turned on in BIOS to use it.

  7. #7
    FlyingRon's Avatar
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    Have you tried the various compatibility options on starting the application in Window 10/11? I've found that helps getting some old stuff like the UPSAT 480 simulator to work.

    I can't believe it's an insurmountable problem. One of the companies I consult for uses a pre-dotNet version of Visual Basic as a basis for their rather extensive police department management software.

  8. #8
    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by FlyingRon View Post
    Have you tried the various compatibility options on starting the application in Window 10/11? I've found that helps getting some old stuff like the UPSAT 480 simulator to work.

    I can't believe it's an insurmountable problem. One of the companies I consult for uses a pre-dotNet version of Visual Basic as a basis for their rather extensive police department management software.
    Other than a Surface laptop, I don't have a Windows 10/11 box to fiddle with. This is why I'm considering picking up one and using a KVM switch to go between my Windows 7 and a Windows 11 box. If I get things running acceptably on the new box, I'd switch to it as my primary computer.

    Having the programming environment for Visual Basic only available in a virtual window (or compatibility mode) isn't so bad; it's just that the .exe files generated in VB don't run in Window 10/11 so every time I wanted to run VB stuff I'd have to switch to the virtual window. I do that now to run some 16-bit programs on Windows 7; it takes a long time for the virtual window to boot up.

    Got a good little computer shop nearby that has built all my computers for the last 15 years. Probably will stop by to talk to them.

    Ron Wanttaja

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by rwanttaja View Post
    I do that now to run some 16-bit programs on Windows 7; it takes a long time for the virtual window to boot up.
    Have you switched to solid state drives yet? If not, you should... speeds things up substantially.
    Measure twice, cut once...
    scratch head, shrug, shim to fit.

    Flying an RV-12. I am building a Fisher Celebrity, slowly.

  10. #10
    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DaleB View Post
    Have you switched to solid state drives yet? If not, you should... speeds things up substantially.
    Oh, yes... my Windows 7 box has a solid state C: drive and a 1 TB hard disk for data. The improvement in boot-up time is amazing.

    Ron Wanttaja

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