catgate Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 I have just had a "phrantic phonecall" from my friend who has the garage business. His laptop is on the blink. It's use is the running of the accounts etc. side of the operation, and with 3 or sometimes 4 men working for him its use is more than occasional.From his description over the 'phone it sounds rather like a switch problem, but what ever it is the mchine needs replacing, if for nothing more than peace of mind.So the question is with what to replace it? The software is an archaic, but splendid, creation called "Garage Master" and it is a DOS based database processing thing. I have a feeling it is Sage development, but it could quite equally be Ashton Tate dBase. Its output is in ASCII and modern printers seem to have an abhorrence of this. At this stage the printer itself is no problem, since a couple were bought a year or two ago that are compatible in all respects with his software, but do not have a USB connection.There are no doubt other garage software programmes available, but since the whole operation is set up to run from the present system, the retention of the present one is virtualy paramount.Thus it seems to me that we are looking for a "modern" lap top with a parallel printer port, and an operating system supporting/embracing DOS, that is current, rather than messing about with unknown Ebay stuff.I would be more than grateful for constuctive comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rong Posted February 13, 2009 Report Share Posted February 13, 2009 Why not go for a blank machine and get a copy of W98 SE2, this should run the dos thing I believe. A computer fair could be a good place to find W98. Does it have to be a laptop as the parallel printer port would be easier to find on a PC, or would it run from a USB to parallel converter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted February 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2009 Why not go for a blank machine and get a copy of W98 SE2, this should run the dos thing I believe. A computer fair could be a good place to find W98. Does it have to be a laptop as the parallel printer port would be easier to find on a PC, or would it run from a USB to parallel converterI have the W98SE disc and that is intimatly tied to DOS, so that is no problem, rong. It is mainly the printer connection that is the worry.I had not realised that USB to parallel port adapters existed until I went trawling the net after I had posted the above last night. So maybe a more modern laptop that is capable of accepting W98SE will do the job. He claims he needs the lap top for portability since he lives about a mile away from the garage and his wife does some of the invoices etc.I am presuming that these usb/parallel adapters have drivers that will work under W98SE? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan2273 Posted February 13, 2009 Report Share Posted February 13, 2009 Yes they will work with 98SE.http://www.netshop.co.uk/productcategoryde...ategoryid=52420 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted February 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2009 Yes they will work with 98SE.http://www.netshop.co.uk/productcategoryde...ategoryid=52420Thanks for that, Alan2273.I shall now have to "call a meeting" to fornulate a strategy and appoint a minister for knotted string, reconstruction and tallow refinery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seshomaru Samma Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 also try DOSBOX runs most DOS stuff on Windows / Linux / Unix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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