It has been (and still is) a journey with my new computer.

Not only have I had to learn how to use a laptop and get used to those differences, I have also had to learn Windows Vista. On first glance, Vista looked like a system for people who just don’t know how to use computers with care, and Microsoft thought of a way how to just put many things on automatic for you. So, not a lot new to learn really, if you already know XP. A bit of a learning curve if you don’t like things so automatic.

One of the differences and well known complaints of Vista though is that of some programs just won’t run in Vista. I was aware of this, but Vista seems here to stay and it already came installed on my laptop.

I started to install my programs and was happy until I came to my all time favorite graphics program - Micrografx Picture Publisher. Picture Publisher has to be the program I use the absolute most. It just refused to run. It would start up and then just stay there, half opened. A Control-Alt-Delete would bring up a half start and then in seconds it would close. No hope.

I went to various places looking for help. I found a way to make older programs compatible with Vista, but those didn’t help my situation. Weeks had gone by, and I still hadn’t given up.

Yesterday, I was glad I spoke up. Simeon, a friend of Miquel’s who was here for band practice, mentioned how much he loved Vista, was put to my challenge. “You like Vista so? Can you make my graphics program run?”

Some strokes of the keyboard later, he had it running. He went so fast, I am still not sure what he did. I know he ran the properties over the .exe file, unchecked the read only section, and then unchecked on the compatibility tab asking it to run on whatever past version I was trying at the time.

Each time it opens, I have to tell Vista to ALLOW it, but a small effort to run my favorite program!