Can I Still Get RowPro V3.x?

[raotor]

Hi,

I was just wondering if it is still possible to obtain older versions of RowPro?

Since V4.x is no longer compatible with Windows XP, I was curious as to whether Digital Rowing still provided downloads to V3.x versions for sale/licensing?

If so, can someone tell me what the latest version prior to 4.x will work on Windos XP?

Regards

Steve

[Carl Watts]

V3.016 was the last release of RowPro.

To be honest I would not go back now RowPro V4.1 has been released, the graphics are better and it doesn't crash at all during online rowing.

I had to purchase a copy of Windows 8 to run it but again it's so much better than Xp in the time it takes to boot and shutdown and all the video graphics card drivers have moved onto Windows 8.

Xp was good, I still have it on my office PC which is what I'm typing on right now but it's an AMD Quad core so it can slug away at Xp but it would run 3 times faster on Windows 8.

Xp will finally die after support from Microsoft stops in April and it will become more and more of a pain to use because Windows 8 is a totally new platform and any new software and apps simply will not run on Xp, or at least not properly.

Have been a long term user of Xp, in fact I skipped Vista and Windows 7 as I could not see any benefits, but once you get a handle on Windows 8.1 you will decide it was a good time to move forward. With lots of RAM, 1GB minimum or 2GB is better its very fast even in a Pentium 4 single core.

[raotor]

new platform and any new software and apps simply will not run on Xp, or at least not properly.
Have been a long term user of Xp, in fact I skipped Vista and Windows 7 as I could not see any benefits, but once you get a handle on Windows 8.1 you will decide it was a good time to move forward. With lots of RAM, 1GB minimum or 2GB is better its very fast even in a Pentium 4 single core.

Hi Carl,

Thanks for the reply.

Hmmm ... I'm afraid there's no way I want to go the Windows 8 route. From what I've seen of it and the reviews I've read it's Metro interface and added complexity with respect to even changing BIOS settings as well as its other quirks and not to mention the expense makes it a no-no for me. Windows 7 would be the best I could do.

So, can I still licence a copy of RowPro V3.x should I want to?

[Carl Watts]

Ignore the reviews, they are only from people having Windows 8 problems !

I have it installed on a couple of PC's and have not had a problem. Going to 8.1 was harder work as you appear to need a windows account for it to work but thats because Microsoft must be trying to cut down on the number of cracked versions !

[raotor]

Ignore the reviews, they are only from people having Windows 8 problems !

I have it installed on a couple of PC's and have not had a problem. Going to 8.1 was harder work as you appear to need a windows account for it to work but thats because Microsoft must be trying to cut down on the number of cracked versions !

I'm afraid you've not got a convert here!

The reviews I've read and seen are all from IT professionals and they ALL say don't bother if you already have Windows 7. Many folks have really disliked the route that MS have tried to push the desktop PC down which is all this tablet or mobile type environment. All works fine on those devices but not so sure how great they are on a desktop PC.

The very fact that an 8.1 version was required so quickly after 8's launch in order to "fix" things like the removed Start button and speed issues points to the inherent problems with the user experience of Windows 8. A couple of experienced IT reviewers had a hard time searching for the option to even shut down the PC under the original Windows 8 and I think that such lack of basic ease of use reflects how wrong MS got the initial Windows 8. Sure, 8.1 fixes a lot of the issues, but it goes to indicate the level of user feedback that prompted MS to make the changes they did in 8.1.

I think if I ever got Windows 8 that I'd be spending time finding out how to switch off all the irritating little charms, widgets, pop-ups, Metro interface etc etc.

Windows 8 is certainly a viable option for those purchasing new PC's - or more probably tablets and Windows phones for which Win 8 seems more optimized for, but for the likes of "old IT dinosaurs" like me I prefer a much more conventional approach and this attitude seems quite common with a lot of market resistance to Windows 8.

If I can use RowPro V3.x under XP then I'll be happy. May go for Windows 7 but not sure if RowProwill work on a 64-bit OS.

Sorry Carl, but no sale here on Win 8 ... Glad someone likes it though! )

However ... if at some point in the future I use it and like it, I will be the first to eat my hat!

[Citroen]

Get into the 21st Century.

WinXP is an ancient, insecure, unsupported, unsupportable version of Windows. It's obvious why RowPro don't want to support that piece of ancient history.

XP will rapidly become a target for all of the hackers on the planet (trying to exploit the hundreds of security holes). End of support means Microsoft no longer commit to providing patches for the security holes (when they are discovered). Window is a close source product so there's no way for anyone else to provide a 3rd party fix.

Win8.1 (with the start menu added back in) is supported, is more secure and since you want to run RowPro there's no choice. As the Americans say, "It's a no brainer".

[raotor]

Get into the 21st Century.

WinXP is an ancient, insecure, unsupported, unsupportable version of Windows. It's obvious why RowPro don't want to support that piece of ancient history.

XP will rapidly become a target for all of the hackers on the planet (trying to exploit the hundreds of security holes). End of support means Microsoft no longer commit to providing patches for the security holes (when they are discovered). Window is a close source product so there's no way for anyone else to provide a 3rd party fix.

Win8.1 (with the start menu added back in) is supported, is more secure and since you want to run RowPro there's no choice. As the Americans say, "It's a no brainer".

Indeed, I am aware of all that.

As and when I need to, it'll be Windows 7 for me until such time as MS decide to come out with Windows 9. I'll get a good few years on the 7 platform and with third-party protection software I have installed on XP I'm sure I'll be just fine for a while.

I've never been one to "upgrade" for the sake of it, but I concede that due to dwindling support that I will eventually have to update my OS.

If I had "upgraded" when everyone with more money than sense were telling me to get Windows Vista because it was "new" and "Up to date" and, yes "21st century software" etc I would've ended up with a bloated lemon. I'm always cautious about OS's as you can tell

Anyway, as this thread is heading rapidly off-topic I will conclude with the concession that you are not wrong in what you say, but also consider that because something is new doesn't mean it is always the best option for everyone.

[Carl Watts]

If you have Windows 7 then you can run the latest version of Rowpro - V4.1 so not sure what the problem is ?

You have to understand that all I want from an OS is a very fast boot and shutdown and to be able to find and click on the RowPro icon ! Sometimes I get in with under a minute to spare before an online row is about to start so there is no way I want to wait 3 minutes for the PC to boot.

Windows 8 is way smarter, just about all the drivers are on the Windows 8 DVD, its like a 2.4Gb file and any drivers you don't have, it does updates and goes away and finds the missing ones for you.

Windows 8 is designed so you DON"T need to be an IT Proffessional and besides, anything running stand alone and not on a network is a piece of cake. Never has a problem with 8 before it went to 8.1, not sure what the problem is with people these days, it had a desktop tile for it you just clicked on and away you went.

[raotor]

If you have Windows 7 then you can run the latest version of Rowpro - V4.1 so not sure what the problem is ?

You have to understand that all I want from an OS is a very fast boot and shutdown and to be able to find and click on the RowPro icon ! Sometimes I get in with under a minute to spare before an online row is about to start so there is no way I want to wait 3 minutes for the PC to boot.

Windows 8 is way smarter, just about all the drivers are on the Windows 8 DVD, its like a 2.4Gb file and any drivers you don't have, it does updates and goes away and finds the missing ones for you.

Windows 8 is designed so you DON"T need to be an IT Proffessional and besides, anything running stand alone and not on a network is a piece of cake. Never has a problem with 8 before it went to 8.1, not sure what the problem is with people these days, it had a desktop tile for it you just clicked on and away you went.

Hi Carl,

I currently use XP but would consider moving to 7.

However, if I had a dedicated PC for RowPro use then it is far more likely I would opt for Windows 8.1 - especially if I could get a cheap new one with it pre-installed. So, in that respect I see your point and have no issues with it.

My key concern is not having to upgrade my working PC and finding that I need new versions of this or that or something I need no longer works etc.

As far as boot speed goes, well I always tend to just use the Stand-by option under XP that gets me to a desktop in around 10 seconds. Still, that's really neither here nor there in respect of your Windows 8 point but just wanted to highlight that I don't have to wait any undue period of time even with my "Ancient" OS

Oh, and in answer to your point regarding how you don't understand why people have issues when you can just click on the desktop tile to get to a desktop - Well, certainly under 8 I think the issue was that you HAD to do this to get what you wanted rather than MS allowing you to easily configure Win8 to boot directly into a desktop. Windows 8.1 now allows easy setup of this and so that's one less gripe gotten rid of

I see you use a HD6670. Would you have any idea of what the Nvidia equivalent might be as I have a few older cards lying around? I'm also wondering if the on-chip graphics provided by the latest generation of Intel i-series processors is sufficient to run RowPro's 3D graphics given that they appear to be capable of running many of the modern games.

Thanks.

[Carl Watts]

The PC I use was just about free and since setting it up as a dedicated RowPro server I have aquiured a couple more free Pentium 4 computers that companies were throwing them in the bin.

The HD6670 was the best low profile card I could buy at the time, but I see the low profile stuff is becoming hard to buy new. Use the Video card benchmark site to rate your card.

http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/

The HD6670 gets a score of 1044 so I would not go much lower than this. Its easier to get the performance in a full height rather than low profile card.

RowPro doesn't need a fast PC but it needs a good video card and I underestimated this and have two older ones that I tried now running in other PC's.

Also I need fast boot as I shutdown my PC and turn the power off at the wall. This reduces power consumption and also the risk of it getting wacked with a power surge to nil.

Nothing wrong with Windows 7 but its slow to boot. My 3.2GHz Pentium 4 single core ( with SSD and 2G ram) boots faster than the latest i7 laptop on Window 7 ! so running Windows 8 on the latest PC with a solid state drive must be amazing.

Which brings up back to RowPro V4.1 which is much better than the old versiom so go to Windows 7 to run it.