SurfCam 6.1 with Windows 7???

[lkenney]

One of the machine shops near mine has been using SurfCam 6.1 since it came out. He says and can demostrate that 6.1 does his work very efficently. He does not want to upgrade but the Windows 98 machine that he is using is dieing. The best computer buys seem to all come with Windows 7 home on them. Does anyone have any experience with this combo? I have tried to get him to update and he ownes Surfcam 7.x updated in 2003 but won't use it. I tried to show him SurfCam Velocity 4 but he is not interested in that.

Thanks for any advice.

Lowell

[Chrliev]

Its hard to imagine that anyone is still using Win98, and prefers SurfCam 6.1 the advances in hardware and software in the 13 years since 1998 are huge. Getting technologically stuck like this is usually due to a fear of an ability to learn something new. I would highly recommend V4 with TrueMill, V5 not so much...

I have used SurfCam V4 with Win7 Pro, 64bit on a new Lenovo (IBM) multi-core, multi processor workstation with 16 virtual CPUs. From what I can see SurfCam doesn't come close to being able to tap into the multi processor capabilities of the latest computers running on a 64 bit Operating System. The most I can get is 6% of dedicated system resources used. Thats the equivalent of 1 single processor running at 100%

On my home IBM Intellistation running XP SP2, with 4 processors I can't get more than 25% through put, because of that I see no reason that a 4 or 5 year old machine running XP is quite acceptable running the latest versions of SurfCam.

Though this may change shortly as software development catches up with hardware developments, if upgrading it makes a lot of sense to go with the latest hardware technology available, In the long run it will save you money...

[lkenney]

I agree but he does not and someday we may be in the same place as far as not wanting to upgrade. I will load a laptop tomorrow withSC 6.1 and see.

Thanks

Lowell

[ToyMaker94566]

When did Surfware come out with V6.1, I thought I was using the latest and greatest with V5.1....

I'm running Win7 64 bit with Surfcam 5.1 with a few bugs still plaguing me. The biggest issue that's hindering me is if I leave a copy of Surfcam open (which I do regularly) and the machine goes into sleep mode, Surfcam freezes when the machine wakes back up. I'm able to save my current work and exit the program normally but that's it. I have to restart the program to get it rolling again. I'm not sure if the problem is a hardware issues or software compatibility but since Surfcam is the only program giving me trouble, I'm looking to Surfcam as the culprit. I’m also having issues with “Verify”, sometimes it launches and sometimes it wont.

[Chrliev]

First a little history, going back to 1989 or so, when I first started as a user....

Surfware has changed its version numbering scheme of SurfCam releases several times throughout the history of the software.

First they started out with SurfCam, then the newer versions, as they were released were SurfCam 2 for a major release, 2.1 for minor releases and fixes, then 3, 3.1, and so on, until they got into the 6's. I think they got to 6.1 or 6.2, in the late 90's

For some reason they then switched to yearly names around the year 2000 or 2001. It was then for instance SurfCam 2000. This version scheme lasted until SurfCam2004 or 2005. When TrueMill came out they changed to the prefix to V for Velocity and away from yearly. It became the V2, V3, V4, etc, scheme of version numbering. No one that I've talked to, not even SurfWare themselves is sure why they have jumped around with their past schemes of version numbering. I believe that SurfCam 6.1 came out in the late 90's, the latest version of SurfCam as of this date is SurfCam V5.1, released in 2010

As far as the screen saver causing SurfCam to hang, I have this problem also. I just resize the screen from full screen mode to any smaller size and then back to full screen mode, click <repaint> and its back. It's not actually a software freeze, rather it seems that SurfCam doesn't update the graphics properly after the computer rewakens.

[ToyMaker94566]

Originally Posted by Chrliev First a little history, going back to 1989 or so, when I first started as a user.... As far as the screen saver causing SurfCam to hang, I have this problem also. I just resize the screen from full screen mode to any smaller size and then back to full screen mode, click <repaint> and its back. It's not actually a software freeze, rather it seems that SurfCam doesn't update the graphics properly after the computer rewakens.

Sounds like you and I have both been long time users of Surfcam!

I think I bought my 3 axis copy in 1990 there about. It was Surfcam 3.0, it ran in DOS and came on I think 5 5 1/4 floppy disks. My Compaq 386 was running @ a whopping 16 MHz with a 40 meg hard drive; I even sprung an extra grand for 12 megs of extended RAM and another $350 for the math-co processor. lol...

Then I got Windows 3.11 and Surfcam started getting interesting.

Thanks for the feedback on the graphics hang. I hope we get a patch for that soon.

[moldcore]

Originally Posted by ToyMaker94566 Sounds like you and I have both been long time users of Surfcam! I think I bought my 3 axis copy in 1990 there about. It was Surfcam 3.0, it ran in DOS and came on I think 5 5 1/4 floppy disks. My Compaq 386 was running @ a whopping 16 MHz with a 40 meg hard drive; I even sprung an extra grand for 12 megs of extended RAM and another $350 for the math-co processor. lol... Then I got Windows 3.11 and Surfcam started getting interesting. Thanks for the feedback on the graphics hang. I hope we get a patch for that soon.

Sounds like we had the same computer config when I worked for another company, only we used Mastercam and Cadkey. I think they paid about 25k for both programs, computer and pen plotter in '87 or '88. I remember the dealer had to come to the office to install each update.

My first Surfcam was in the mid 90's, version 6 I think. We still use Cadkey (now called KeyCreator) here, why? Because it's the best, fastest, and least expensive.

[ToyMaker94566]

Originally Posted by moldcore My first Surfcam was in the mid 90's, version 6 I think. We still use Cadkey (now called KeyCreator) here, why? Because it's the best, fastest, and least expensive.

Yep, that was the version where Surfcam did me the biggest injustice. I have been a long time user of Surfcam. I have seen features come and features go but the one lost feature I would do anything to see come back was the V6 and earlier pocketing method. Surfcam use to spiral out into the corner and made the coolest floor finish. Then they switched to the Mastercam's style of feeding straight into the wall from it's plunge point! I was told this was changed to lure Mastercam guys over by behaving the same; I wanted to kill someone! Ef the mastercam guys, what about the surfcam guys?!

At least give me the option of choosing wall or corner when pocketing. Is that to much to ask...?

That's my rant, back on topic.

[lkenney]

Tried to load the 6.1 SurfCam on my laptop loaded with 64 bit Windows 7. Got an incompatablity message, saying that this progam would not operate under Windows 7. I was able to move him up to SC Version 7. which has a better IGES translater. Maybe someday we will get current.

Lowell

[chmillman]

I started with Surfcam 7.0 around 1997. It then went to 7.1 and then they decided to go with the year numbering system, so the next version was Surfcam 99. The year numbering thing was started by Microsoft with Win 95 and then 98, it became the all the rage around that time and almost EVERYBODY started year numbering their releases - especially as the year 2000 approached.

Microsoft seems to be the only one left doing it with Office, pretty much everyone else has moved on now...

And to actually respond on-topic - doesn't Win 7 have a compatibility mode that allows one to install and run legacy software programs on it?

Compatibility Mode - Windows 7 Forums

One could also install a virtual machine with VMware and then install a cpy of win 98 on that...

How to Install Windows 98 Virtual Machine | eHow.com

--ch

[Chrliev]

For me at least, it's kind of like watching TV or movies on your Cell Phone. Yes you can do it, but why would you want to..?

[lkenney]

Because that is what you have made a living with for 15 years and you can do magic with it. New version offer much to those of us who want to learn them but that does not mean that the work done with older version was null and void. Maybe the time it took to learn a new version meant the difference in making a living for that month or not. If you are a machinest and not a programmer you will use what makes parts for you and can care less about the new features that you may never use. I checked the compatibility site and it lists Velocity 5 but not version 6.1. It would not load on my computer so we had to change but it is hard. This fellow will lose money this week because of the change in software. It is a one man shop.

Lowell