NewViews for DOS (NV1) Legacy Support
Q.W. Page will continue to support NV1, the DOS version of NewViews, as long as supporting DOS is financially viable. Our current resources are focused on NV2, the Windows version of NewViews. Payroll for NV1 is currently being maintained. NV2 can import all the data from NV1 and upgrading is recommended.
NewViews Version 1.41b (the final DOS version released November 25, 1993) will run on any 32 bit Windows operating system from Microsoft. This includes the 32 bit versions of Microsoft Windows 7 and 8.
By default, Windows 7 and 8 does not allow a command prompt window to run full screen. Consequently, all DOS programs run under Windows 7 and 8's video control and cannot operate in full screen mode. You will still see all 25 or 50 lines of the DOS screen, only the characters may be smaller.
NV1 Printing Issues and Problems with New Hardware
Printing
- DOS NewViews prints to printers connected to an LPT (parallel) port or to a file.
- DOS NewViews can not print directly to a USB port or USB printer.
- Microsoft's final DOS version 6 was released in June of 1994 (over 15 years ago).
Microsoft stopped support for DOS on November 30, 2001
There are utilities advertised on the Internet that claim to solve DOS printing with USB printers.
These utilities work with some DOS software and some printers, but not all DOS software with all printers.
Printing is not an issue with NV2 - NewViews for Windows. NV2 can print to any printer connected directly or indirectly to your Windows computer.
New Computers
Desktop computers and portables built in the 1980s and 90s had a built-in parallel port, the DB-25 connector at the back.
This was the main connection for all PCs to a printer.
DOS (including NewViews) was programmed to communicate to a printer via the parallel / LPT ports.
DOS does not know how to communicate with a USB port.
Computers today have different electronics, internal cabling and connectors than just a few years ago.
Today's computers and laptops do not have a built-in parallel port. They are available as a special order.
New Printers
Printers built in the 1980s and 90s had built-in circuit boards with memory.
These printers could translate a DOS program's printing commands into characters, line feeds and page movements.
The old printers had a DB-25 connector for use with a parallel cable.
DOS programs (including NewViews) transmit commands to the printer representing letters, numbers and other characters.
A DOS printer's internal circuitry would translate the commands.
Today's printers come with a USB or network interface to connect to a computer.
These new printers are very simple, they only contain a motor for handling paper and a motor for moving the print head.
Printers no longer come with built-in circuit boards with memory.
That functionality has been replaced with a software printer driver in Microsoft Windows.
This is one reason today's printers are so inexpensive compared to printers from the 1980s and 90s.
This is the reason that today's low cost printers can not communicate with NV1 for DOS.