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FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 12:50
by E Wilcock
It worries me that people who went to the recent genealogical show were given details of fh 7 which the rest of us dont have.
Will fh 7 run on Windows 7?

I had to abandon windows XP because fh would no longer run on it.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 12:54
by tatewise
You are asking the wrong people. You need to ask Calico Pie.

My guess is that FH V7 will run on Windows Vista and later versions of Windows such as 7 and 8.1 and 10.
Windows XP was abandoned probably because its 'architecture' was significantly different.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 12:59
by ColeValleyGirl
As Windows 7 goes end of life in January https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/hel ... ry-14-2020 and so will no longer receive security updates, you probably ought to be thinking about migrating to Windows 10 whether or not FH7 runs under Windows7.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 13:40
by tatewise
There appears to still be a way to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, because nobody has told the Activation servers otherwise. I can post details if anyone is interested.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 15:35
by E Wilcock
I am repeatedly advised to upgrade to Windows 10. Please accept that my lovely Sony all in one desktop is not compatible. Bits and pieces may stop working if it is upgraded.
I may well continue to use it as I have virus protection and we dont do tax or banking on line.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 15:41
by ColeValleyGirl
Which virus protection are you using, and has the supplier confirmed they will continue to update it for Windows 7? Nobody wants to force you to spend money on a new PC, but equally we don't want to be advising you what to do if your research gets corrupted or locked away from your access.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 15:55
by tatewise
How do you know your Sony PC is not compatible?
Dell said that my PC was not compatible, or more accurately that they had not tested it to see if was compatible.
Yet it upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 automatically without issues and continues to this day.
Have you asked a local computer specialist whether your Sony PC would upgrade?
If not, then what 'bits and pieces' may stop working and might need replacing?

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 16:02
by ColeValleyGirl
And maybe consider moving to Windows 8 which doesn't go end of life until 2023. There are loads of things you can do to make it look more like Windows 7.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 16:43
by Ron Melby
Mike,

I would be interested in free W10 upgrade details. Either posted on forums or email me, please.


Ron

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 16:48
by davidf
E Wilcock wrote: 08 Nov 2019 15:35 I am repeatedly advised to upgrade to Windows 10. Please accept that my lovely Sony all in one desktop is not compatible. Bits and pieces may stop working if it is upgraded.
I may well continue to use it as I have virus protection and we dont do tax or banking on line.
Thought of trying Linux? Linux runs on a lot of old software (including my very old 32bit 2008 netbook).

FH6 runs under Wine on Linux with comparatively few wrinkles. (Wine is software that make Linux look as if it is running Windows!) For a recent discussion of running FH on Linux (or Mac) see this thread

You can "try before you buy" (although most Linux distributions are free) and run Linux without disturbing your existing setup.
  • Linux on a USB stick. Set your computer to be willing to boot from a USB stick and restart it with a Linux USB stick in the USB port. Have a look at that version and when done switch off and remove the USB stick.
  • Linux in VirtualBox. VirtualBox is an Oracle program (available for Windows) that allows you to run another Operating System as if it is a Windows Application. Within the "Virtual Box Window", you have a virtual computer in which you can run pretty much anything. This allows you to get a feel for the operating system (albeit with a (slight) performance penalty because you will be running a stack of programs (i) Windows (ii) Virtual Box (iii) Some form of Linux (iv) A Linux Application - or even (iv) Wine (v) FH!)
  • Dual Boot. Have both Windows and Linux installed side by side and when you switch on choose which operating system to "boot" into. (You can even have your data on part of your drive accessible to either operating system.)
Many forms of Linux look and feel very much like Windows 7 (Icons, Start Button/Menu, Task bar, Applications running in windows from which you can cut and paste or drag and drop, etc).
  • The key to the look and feel is the "desktop manager" - the actual variety of Linux is almost immaterial. (See for instance https://www.lifewire.com/best-linux-des ... ts-4120912)
  • The LXDE, LXQt, Cinnamon and Mate desktops will feel very familiar. (Compare these to Car Dashboards.)
  • A number of developer groups make varieties of Linux. (Compare these to a car's underlying Engine.) The main Consumer ones are: Ubuntu and Mint or Debian; Mint is based on Ubuntu which in its turn is based on Debian (which can be a little impenetrable without confidence - hence Ubuntu and Mate)
  • So you could try: Ubuntu Mate, Mint Mate or Cinnamon, also Lubuntu (currently using LXDE but moving to LXQt) or Debian LXDE.
  • If your Sony is 32 bit check that your choice of Linux will continue to support 32bit (I know *ubuntu and variants are moving to 64bit only)
Don't feel bamboozled by the huge variety; after all we all get into cars with different dash boards and drive them successfully - and usually we don't have to worry whether the engine is diesel or petrol!

These are industrial strength operating systems with high levels of security and integrity. They used to have a reputation for being "difficult", but over the last couple of decades they have become as user friendly as Windows 7 - but without the glitz and gee-whizzery of Windows 10! Updates are pretty much seamless and keep your applications up-to-date in parallel with the Operating System. Major upgrades (certainly for Ubuntu and variants - which upgrades every two years with support for 3 to 5 years) has for me been trouble free for the last 3 upgrades (just takes a few hours!).

Linux has Browsers Office Software etc. that look very similar (in some cases identical) to their Windows equivalents - and most are free!

Linux powers more web servers than any other operating system. It is free to the likes of us - the developers, like Canonical (who develop Ubuntu), tend to make their money by selling support contracts to corporates and I believe specialist software to manage automatic configuration over corporate networks.

This could give old hardware a new lease of life. However if you only use it for FH you may think it is less hassle to stick with Windows and its possible end-of-life issues.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 17:09
by ColeValleyGirl
Davidf, going Linux will take a lot of time and effort and impose a learning curve on somebody who has stated elsewhere that thy went to save their energy ad time for genealogy not technology.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 17:57
by davidf
Helen,

I would say actually making the move is no more difficult than upgrading from say Windows XP to Windows 7 (unless of course you up grade by doing a simultaneous hardware upgrade - buying a new machine). The time involved is because of the degree of choice!

There is always a balance between
  • saying "well upgrade to Ubuntu Cinnamon"
    • Download
    • Backup your data
    • Burn to a USB Stick
    • Boot to the Stick
    • Select Install and follow the prompts
    • Reboot
    • Restore your Data to the Documents Drive/DIrectory
    (Which is almost an OS independent guide to changing OS!) and,
  • Illustrating the degree of choice and the remarkable number of ways you can try the options!
Some local PC shops could even swap your OS for you for the price of a couple of hours of labour, but I would suggest that they show you one they have prepared earlier to demonstrate that they have done it before! (If going that route it might be worth asking if they could do a hard drive swap at the same time to give you more future capacity - and preserving your old set up on the old drive. But that may be difficult with Sony All-In-Ones?)

Learning Curve is pretty shallow - I suspect that I could make Windows 7 look like this!
Ubuntu Cinnamon (running in Virtual Box)
Ubuntu Cinnamon (running in Virtual Box)
Screenshot from 2019-11-08 17-51-11a.jpg (185.63 KiB) Viewed 16553 times

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 18:57
by E Wilcock
My computer is Sony Vaio VPCL 22S1E
I have been to Sony site and also read some on line forums.
I am not literate in computer technology. But the many things listed as not working in W10 and enough to worry me include
Sony Sound Effects and the interface needed to read USB sticks. At the time when upgrades were free, I upgraded my lap top - but not the Sony all in one as all sites advised against it. Since then I have seen on one forum a suggestion that it might work but I am not prepared to risk it.

My virus protection is McAfee
Their business sites states
McAfee expects to provide the current level of support across existing McAfee products on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 until December 31, 2021. Extended support options are available until December 31, 2023.

However, private customers are given a link to another page where I can find no information.

May be I should mention that I can afford a new computer and have a 12 year old grandchild wishing to borrow the old one - which I am particularly fond of and may not relinquish.

Friday night and the weekend are really not a good time to pursue this discussion and we have till January.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 20:25
by tatewise
Ron, and others who wish to upgrade, see glossary:windows_10_upgrade_tips|> Windows 10 Upgrade Tips.
There the Introduction explains how to upgrade to Windows 10 for free using your current licence.
The technique uses the Windows 10 installation media from the Download Windows 10 page.
But do heed all the other advice in glossary:windows_10_upgrade_tips|> Windows 10 Upgrade Tips, which may differ in some details, but the general principles still apply.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 09 Nov 2019 12:11
by wianb
I also have a 5 year old Sony Vaio laptop (not my main computer) model VPCEC3SOE. Updated from Win 7 to Win 10 with no problems at all.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 09 Nov 2019 17:12
by E Wilcock
wianb wrote: 09 Nov 2019 12:11 I also have a 5 year old Sony Vaio laptop (not my main computer) model VPCEC3SOE. Updated from Win 7 to Win 10 with no problems at all.
As a matter of interest did MS prompt you to update from 7 to 10?
Or did it advise you not to but you ignored the warning?

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 09 Nov 2019 17:28
by wianb
Updated as soon as I was prompted by MS. There were some drivers that needed to be updated after the install. Apart from that everything went smoothly.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 10 Nov 2019 06:12
by Clicker72_CCAAT
Check the Microsoft site. They used to have a free tool that would check your computer hardware to see if it was compatible with Windows 10. I believe it would indicate what component(s) would need to be upgraded or replaced to be compatible.

If you do upgrade to Windows 10, download the appropriate version of Classic Shell (a free program - google for source URL) for either the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows. I've used it problem-free since upgrading from Win 7 to Win 10 three years ago. It lets you change the UI to be nearly identical to the Win 7 UI but can be easily changed back to the default Win 10 tiles if you really want to regress.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 10 Nov 2019 06:33
by Valkrider
Clicker72_CCAAT wrote: 10 Nov 2019 06:12 If you do upgrade to Windows 10, download the appropriate version of Classic Shell (a free program - google for source URL) for either the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows. I've used it problem-free since upgrading from Win 7 to Win 10 three years ago. It lets you change the UI to be nearly identical to the Win 7 UI but can be easily changed back to the default Win 10 tiles if you really want to regress.
Classic Shell development has ceased and been replaced by Open Shell. See https://alternativeto.net/software/classicshell/

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 10 Nov 2019 12:00
by E Wilcock
wianb wrote: 09 Nov 2019 17:28 Updated as soon as I was prompted by MS. There were some drivers that needed to be updated after the install. Apart from that everything went smoothly.
I am very grateful for the advice. But owners of my all in one desktop computer were told by MS (and on the Sony site) not to upgrade to Windows 10. Very definitely.
So it wasnt the same as yours. In spite of the brand name.
I could compare the MS messages and email prompts as I was promted to upgrade and did upgrade my lenovo lap top which arrived with Windows 8.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 13 Nov 2019 09:36
by trevorrix
I have upgraded several computers from Windows 7 to Windows 10 for free this year without any issues.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 18 Nov 2019 23:24
by GeneSniper
In reply to the OP, I found this on the my-History.co.uk web store in the buy now and get a free upgrade to FH7 section-
"When version 7 is released (most likely in the first quarter of 2020), buyers will be supplied with a new licence code and will be required to download the version 7 upgrade from the Family Historian website.

Windows 10 compatible

New Features of Version 7
Integrated full word-processing for notes and text fields.
Improved source and citation functions.
New DNA tools and DNA diagrams.
Improved research notes function.
All new re designed report tool with 11 new reports.
New 'All -Relatives' diagram that includes both direct and indirect relatives.
New re-designed 'Everyone' diagram.
and much more...

We hope to be able to release more information in the new year about version 7

See the list of New Features (version 7)

Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 Compatible
Not Compatible with Windows XP, Mac OS, Android tablets or iPads."
Hope this puts your fears about having to upgrade Windows to bed, although it will disappoint some Mac OS users :D . I have to say that the features above are enough for me to upgrade to FH7 if they are implemented well. I know others may be wanting more, but some of the things that annoyed me seem to be getting an upgrade and through FHUG I now know how the bits I originally didn't understand, work.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 19 Nov 2019 13:34
by Mark1834
I hope the upgrade doesn’t break the basic principle of GEDCOM compatibility. Clearly, the word processing data have to be stored somewhere, but hopefully in supplementary files that are somehow linked via proprietary GEDCOM tags that don’t compromise data export to other packages.

Despite the well known limitations of GEDCOM, having all my core data accessible in a plain text file that can readily be used outside FH itself is a major plus for the program.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 19 Nov 2019 13:52
by Jane
As being able to add Bold and underline to notes has been near the top of the wish list for a long time, I am pleased to see it had been added.

In V7 you will be able to Export all rich text notes as plain text, which will remove the formatting and of course like most things in Family Historian you don't have to use it if you don't want to.

If you load the file into another program without exporting, the notes will simply have some "codes" in, but the text is still readable.

Re: FH Version 7

Posted: 19 Nov 2019 14:46
by E Wilcock
Thank you so much for posting that -

I always buy every upgrade of the genealogy software I use. I can afford to and it is done to support the designers.
I would have bought Verson 7 any way. But lots of things here please me very much.