Windows 10 Technical Preview 9879
 

Anyone got MA3 to work on Windows Technical Preview 9879? I get the error the program has stopped working. Anyway to force it to run in compatibility mode?

They are on Windows 10 already? I'm still on Win 7. (OK, I'm really still on XP.)

Microsoft skipped Windows 9, going from 8/8.1 straight to 10. They are probably thinking the further away they get from 8/8.1 the better off they will be. :)

funny
 

You know, times do change... Windows 10 is basically things from Windows 7 that are great plus the Metro look with Microsoft Apps from Windows 8 in the Start Menu. I resist change by using a program to make Windows 10/8 look like windows 7, its called Start8. However, MA3.3 works on 8.1, not 10. My hunch is that its not able to handle the *.scr file. But I don't see a way to put it in a compatibility mode. hey, you developed the screen saver for Ipad, what's next? ha ha

Is there a commitment to make MA3.x work with Windows 10?

I think it unreasonable to expect a program to last through.. what, a dozen versions of Windows. Try running Office 97; AutoCad 12; WordPerfect7; QuatroPro: Solidworks9.. all programs that have been made redundant by yet another version of Windows. I think Jim's Serene Screen has stood the test of time very well considering the size of his development team and research budget.

I do all the writing of the actual program. Edgar does Windows tweaks. Jim O'Connor did the iPhone/iPad conversion (that one is still stuck at MA2.6). A Japanese company named Acrodea did the Android conversion.

If Win 10 still supports DirectX, then it shouldn't be hard to get the Aquarium to run on it. If it doesn't support DirectX, then every program which uses graphics or sound will break.

Bear in mind that we get NO help whatsoever from Microsoft (or acknowledgement that we even exist). I tried to get into the Xbox dev program the other day and was turned down flat.

They have probably read the forum off and on over the years after the beginning Jim, and didn't like the comments. Honesty hurts I guess................

I read somewhere that Windows 10 has DirectX 12.

Windows 10 will support DirectX. And the problem stated by marcusgi above is unlikely to be related to DirectX. And, regardless of opinions of Microsoft, they certainly do not intend to break a lot of 3rd party software (hence the Technical Preview)

Is there a commitment to try to get MA3.x to work under Windows 10?

And is the plan to look at this before the production release of Windows 10? Or to just wait and see if MA3 works, and .............?

Please note that I'm trying to politely ask about the support plan.

As with Win8, we'll wait and see if it works and deal with issues as they come up.

Great News
 

I just updated windows Tech Preview 10 version 9879 to 9926 and MA3 works like a charm!

Glad to hear it!

I will not worry about it until I get W10 about 1year after its release and, by then there should not be any problems at all getting it to work.

lol @ flip. sounds like my outlook on things. Let everyone else find out how good/bad an OS is and wait till they have the bugs worked out, then decide. :TU:

People sure are demanding these days. $20 and they think they own you.

Perhaps "they" just want to know what their expectations should be.

Personally, I had no problem with Jim's honest and straightforward answer.

And the support commitment from Prolific Publishing has been (in my opinion) clearly demonstrated by what hasn't been done in recent months.

Things change, understandably, and no commitment is really "forever". I find it really useful to know what to expect and what to not expect

In other words, the current value of the software that I own. I clearly understand that I don't own the artist, nor the people involved.

On the other hand, we have Quickbooks. My Bank of America business account requires it to download statements in a form my accountant can use. Every two years they change the requirements, forcing me to "upgrade" to the latest version of Quickbooks. But in the world of Intuit, there's no such thing as "Upgrade". I have to buy the new version at full price (about $200), with no discount for being a loyal customer for over 20 years.

So, about 6 months ago I switched to US Bank, which doesn't require Quickbooks.

They skipped Windows 9 most likely because of the widespread use of "Windows 9x". If you do a search for windows 9 help or software, you are going to get a lot of old windows 9x references. Or if your code looks for a version number and only looks for the Windows 9 part of it, that's a problem.

Also anyone that thinks Windows 8.1 is bad in any way: I can't agree with you. It's more stable and faster than windows 7. It's less likely to break, and easier to fix. If you are sore about the start menu, you can have it back in about 2 minutes with startisback or stardock or a number of other super cheap or free pieces of software.

I use Windows 8.1 all day every day, and I never ever see the metro start page unless I specifically go looking for it.

Now did Microsoft fail miserably at blending a tablet interface with a desktop one? Yes they did. But the side-effect is that by rebuilding windows for underpowered tablets they built a lighter, more stable, and more efficient OS that runs like a charm. If you don't like the metro portion they stapled on to it. You don't have to use it.

If you wait a year it won't be free anymore. http://winsupersite.com/windows-10/w...ne-81-upgrades

Personally, I would have no problem paying for a new update, creature pack, etc if it kept development moving forward.

Hell, I'd DONATE money to the cause for new additions to the aquarium. :)

So, Windows 10 is going to be a free upgrade for Windows 7 and 8 users for 1 year after its release? Does anybody know when it is being released?

How much did you donate towards the last update?

Looks like active participation since 2001 and ~ 1500 odd posts at least. There are probably at least a couple of dozen folk that would make a $$ donation to the cause.. if it would have made a difference. As far as I know.. there has never been a process in place to make donations.

That sounds really good in theory, but in actual fact it probably doesn't amount to much. Just looking at forum statistics that I can get too as Administrator we average about 25 posts in a 24 hour period anymore. That's not much at all. Out of the top 20 "posters" on the entire forum, only 12 have even visited the forum in the last 2 weeks, much less posted anything.

As for generating revenue I doubt those few that I would call "old time regulars" would be able to generate enough to really help Jim.

The thoughts I am sure are really appreciated, but I don't know if in actual fact and practice, it could make a huge difference now. Years ago when we had like 950+ members on the board at one time then it could have maybe made a significant difference.

Yeah, what Michael said. Anyway, I wouldn't feel right about taking donations from the old-time regulars. You guys need a reward, not a penalty. That's why the last few updates have all been free.

I think you might mean "wouldn't" - Jim ?

.... Old-time regular!... ;)

Thanks, Cliff - edited.

Hey! Did anybody else get that little windows logo in the system tray? It wants me to reserve my free upgrade to windows 10 now. I think I will.

Windows 10?
 

If Windows 8 taught me anything, it was not to jump into anything "new" too quickly.

Good to hear, Jim. BoA has always been a trash bank from my experience.

OK, now I am pissed.

Just in case anyone needs to know; if you do a Windows update now you will end up with a file located on your system called GWX. It stands for Get Windows 10 and it will create a task bar icon on your system. To get rid of it you first have to go into task manager and shutdown the GWX process, and then go into your system folders under Windows and change permissions for two different GWX folders and delete them.

IMHO, this is a load of crap, to use system updates for what amounts to advertising and force it on my system without my approval. Yes, Yes, I know; why should this be any different than anything else with computers in the last 10 years. :mad:

/end rant

You don't need to take the update if you don't want it, if you say yes it will pre-download Windows 10 nearer the time to save you waiting, for those who want the update, its quite a good idea.

My question about the upgrade is: I'm using Windows 8.1 so I can get the free update for 1 year. After that though, let's say I have to revert back to factory settings, will I still be able to get the free update or will it be expired and I'll be stuck back in 8.1?

Pat from what I can gather once you have it and you do a restore it will restore windows 10, I have no doubt there will be .iso's about after update and of course as you know your Key will be there.