Several lists have had messages about the "Vista" version of FTM and other software. Vista is the operating system, and programs are a separate thing, so to speak. However, there are some compatibility problems, so if you have pre-Vista software and install the Vista OS, you may have to look for updates, etc. For instance, my old Search&ReseaRch Massachusetts Vital Records software didn't work with Vista, so I had to call the software company and buy an update. Also, my old Norton System Works, ditto. Eeeek! And it was a little bit of a struggle to get the Mass VRs to work the way I want them to. I don't want to have to insert each CD in order to use the VRs, but rather use them from my hard drive. So I'm hoping I can spare some of you from having the same experience. I did this years ago when I was still working at West Point as a computer specialist, and everyone seemed to be happy to get the info, so here I go again. First, copy the contents of all of the CDs to your hard drive; I used a master folder named Mass VR and subfolders named after each CD, but that's just a suggestion. Next, from the folder on your HD, you MUST install the Essex VR first, using setup.exe, because it has the most recent version of the Folio software. And then you MUST install the software, ditto as above, according to the directions which are enclosed with the CDs. Any CD which has a copyright date of 2002 has to been installed in a different directory from the default directory, so watch what you're doing. These instructions are in the CD set, but easy to miss. Lastly, I found that I had to create "shortcuts" from each separate VR as it launched from the installation. You can do this under FILE/CREATE SHORTCUT. Then I put these shortcuts into a folder on my desktop for my convenience. I'm not sure I've got all the wrinkles worked out (I'm not talking about my face, thank you), but I hope this will help a few of you. Please, if you have suggestions, let me know -- but don't flame me. I'm not wearing my fire-proof suit. Best wishes, Karen

As this poster herself states, this is off topic for this and all of the other lists it has been posted on. If anyone chooses to reply to it, please do so privately OFF LIST. Thank you for your cooperation. David E. Cann [email protected] Admin of the Barnstable County, Massachusetts mailing list and message board on RootsWeb List Information: http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/usa/MA/barnstable.html -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Karen Sent: Friday, 27 July 2007 2:23 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Barnstable Co MA] Vista OS and Genealogy Software (OT for somelists) <snip>