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Published 5:30 AM EST Mar 4, 2018
Q: I am having trouble using Lotus 123 with my Windows 10 computer. I use this program to produce some specific financial forms for my job, and it worked fine with Windows 7, but it's been nothing but trouble since I upgraded to Windows 10. Any ideas what to do? Or can you recommend another program that might work instead?
—Ray Simpson, Hutchinson Island
A: Lotus 123 was a software title that specialized in spreadsheet and database productivity. At one time, IBM actually controlled development and support for it, and the title proved so popular that many computer manufacturers featured it as noteworthy pre-installed program on home and office computers.
IBM stopped selling and supporting the product in 2013. In the meantime, rival programs like Microsoft’s Excel and Corel's Quattro Pro grew in popularity and have now established themselves as leaders in the spreadsheet world.
As you've already discovered, the last versions of Lotus 123 are not compatible with Windows 10. This is because the program requires a 32-bit environment to run successfully and most versions of Windows 10, generally speaking, are 64-bit.
The difference between a 32-bit version of Windows and a 64-bit version involves how Windows processes the information found in its RAM—with the 64-bit version being much more efficient in handling RAM-based data and tasks, especially in large chunks. Given that, the 64-bit environment has become commonplace in computing.
If you are intent on keeping Lotus 123, then one workaround is to install a program that creates a self-contained 32-bit environment within Windows 10. Once set up, you would need to install Lotus within that environment and then copy over any files associated with Lotus into it as well. After that, you would need to launch this environment, and then Lotus from within it, in order to access Lotus or any piece of information found within your Lotus files.
Instructions for doing using a program called DOSbox can be found in the third posting on the www.bleepingcomputer.com
Beyond that, finding a replacement would be your best bet — and definitely easier to accomplish, at least in the short term.
The aforementioned Excel and Quattro Pro make fine alternatives, and both carry large libraries of templates to help make form building quick and painless. Additional recommendations can be found at alternativeto.net.
Please note: If opting for a replacement program, know that your files should translate well from Lotus into your new spreadsheet program, but any macros or other Lotus-specific customizations may need to be recreated from scratch.
Untangling the web
alternativeto.net
Is a favorite older program of yours incompatible with Windows 10? Are you looking for a cheaper or free alternative to a popular productivity title? Then make a point to visit this handy reference site, which bears the tagline, 'Which app do you want to replace?' Use the helpful search box to get started: Enter the program you are looking to find an alternative to in the blank provided, hit Search and then scour the results to find a match that fits your needs. In the lists, expect to find both well known programs as well as independent and beta releases.
Contact Eyal Goldshmid at [email protected]
Published 5:30 AM EST Mar 4, 2018