Clarisworks and the efforts to get rid of it

diarbe

I have been using Clarisworks for years. First on a Mac SE years ago. When a windows version came along i was excited as I had decided to base my experience on Windows... It was a lot more economical in all ways and I have a;ways needed that consideration in everything I do on computer and online. I used version 4 for years and went through windows 98se to windows XP and finally discovered win7 was just what I liked. I don't like windows 10 at all... I feel like I have no rights and can make very limited choices with it in the way my most disliked company in the computer world, Microsoft has got it set up. I really expected something fantastic with win10. Something that would give the user real power of choice, power of design and function. But no it is a straight jacket worse than found in most anything I either hate or disapprove of.

So I have been happily keeping windows 7 going on a somewhat upgraded computer compared to those around me, with some generous help from extended family, and I have weathered the storms Microsoft has dished out pretty successfully, and learned a hell of a lot in the process,though I don't think I am really a technical person. Just an experienced user and problem solver..... Until this week when I find that Clarisworks V5 has decided to malfunction and even refuse to reinstall on my computer.

I have got the usual needed "correction, diagnose and fix" software installed and a large collection of saved installations going back years.... most of it was obtained free of charge except for the "major" programs.... However this current situation has me stumped for the moment. I am very unfriendly to the process of constant upgrades and the resulting redundancy of so many practical and unique programs. I am convinced that Clarisworks should be saved for posterity and also have not found anything near to it for practical use and adaption to user situations.

So I really want to get to the bottom of why Microsoft is so intent on mothballing it and so many "smart asses" intent on dumb suggestions other than giving a person back his software to use it, rather than silly suggestions about "finding another way to read the cwk files" rather than get the program running again. There is nothing else I WANT to use other than Clairsworks for the reasons I use it. Nothing else DOES the same job, and these mis-directors don't see that.... for no other reason that they have never REALLY used it properly at all.

Sorry about the diary entry, but I am serious about keeping Clarisworks from its destruction... and if THEY had their way and they seem to be having it, the program will be useless in the coming months due to so called upgrades and updates.... which is based on the obsession to make money in fact. Not give to the culture of the world.

Can anyone please help?

touche112

You didn't give any information on your actual problem. Just a long-winded anecdote about using an outdated piece of software as your primary word processor.

If you provide any sort of information on the problem itself (error messages, troubleshooting steps, etc), then maybe we can help.

menage

Could you describe the actual error you get when reinstalling Clarisworks?

The easy way of handling the problem is to install it inside XP Mode (since you are on Windows 7). That was the whole point of having XP Mode: to handle programs got stopped by the changes to Windows 7.

[Deleted User]

menage wrote:

Could you describe the actual error you get when reinstalling Clarisworks?

The easy way of handling the problem is to install it inside XP Mode (since you are on Windows 7). That was the whole point of having XP Mode: to handle programs got stopped by the changes to Windows 7.

XP Mode is still available for download from Microsoft. A quick google and you should find it.

diarbe

OK I am back again after 5 years. A lot has changed and whether it had anything to do with the tirade of protests I have made over the years in many places I am pleased to say not only have I learned more but I have more faith in the direction computer use is going. I am now using windows 10 as happily as I did Windows 7. It sure has come a long way since it was first forced on the world. Also I have found that ClarisWorks 5.0 installed successfully on Windows 10 runs comfortably well. No it is not my preferred "word processor". I use WordPad for "words". I use ClarisWorks, mainly the database module, and designed a Phonebook that is practical. For Spreadsheet work I use Kingsoft Spreadsheets 9.1.0.4058 - Versions after than are pointless. Microsoft Office we can forget. I use FrontPage 2003 a lot too. Old programs? Correct. Out of date? Wake up please. You need to ask yourself "Why something new?" when what I have works for the purpose intended.

SomeGuy

Yea, I've had the mispleasure of using the rental version of Office lately, and something like clarisworks looks awesome and slick compared to that.

Libreoffice has good compatibility, but it is bloated as heck.

Google docs? Delivers on the "groupware" promises that people made of web applications in the late 90s, but feels like a throwback to the era of clunky mainframe programs. Clunky compared to Excel? No, clunky compared to Visicalc on an Apple II!

Personally, I wouldn't want to touch any version of MS-Office later than Office 2003.

Bry89

@diarbe

I use FrontPage 2003 a lot too.

Fellow FrontPage user here And have been for over twenty years...

@SomeGuy

Personally, I wouldn't want to touch any version of MS-Office later than Office 2003.

Is this purely because of the Ribbon interface? I've never had a problem with it when I first used Office 2007 on my old computer (and to me it kept things more organised and and also right in front of your eyes).