Zugg Software :: View topic

Wizard Joined: 25 Mar 2003 Posts: 1113 Location: USA

Let me just be the first to say that zMUD 7.21 will not work properly on Windows Vista, not even when selecting Windows XP SP2 compatibility mode and disabling the Vista visual themes. It runs, I select my character profile to open, and it does not load my map database or my settings (.mud) file. It will not connect to the MUD, either. The only thing that loads properly is the window layout.

Though I am disappointed that I'll have to downgrade my Windows back to XP SP2, I suppose I'm not surprised. I just wanted to let the zMUD community know that they are almost certainly going to have trouble getting zMUD to work on Vista, so you may want to re-consider upgrading when the opportunity comes for you.

If anyone finds a suitable workaround that allows zMUD to function properly on Windows Vista, please do let me know! Thanks.

Wizard Joined: 10 Oct 2000 Posts: 1551 Location: Australia

Could this be related to ADO / MS Office? I haven't played with Vista yet, but it seems reasonable that given they've thrown away a lot of older bits and replaced it all with .NET stuff, so it's possible you're just missing some of the drivers?

I mean at the end of the day CMUD will be Vista compatible and is the recommended path forward, but if someone has worked out how to get zMUD to work under linux, I'm sure it's going to be possible to get it running under Vista...

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 6:39 pm

Yeah, even though zMUD isn't officially supported for Vista, if there isn't a way to make zMUD work on Vista then that tells me what a complete fiasco Vista will end up being. zMUD isn't a very complicated program. ADO/MDAC still exists on Vista. If Microsoft screwed up the compatibility so much that zMUD doesn't run, then that means a huge percentage of other software isn't going to run either. And I really don't think the general public is going to be very happy to buy new versions of all of their software (that's really expensive). It will be really interesting to see what happens when Vista goes "public".

For the network stuff, zMUD uses the WSOCK32.DLL API directly. No 3rd party components, and no special stuff that should get in the way. So if it doesn't connect to the MUD, then I'm worried that they did something bad to the WSOCK32.DLL interface.

My guess is that there is something wrong with your installation. I just can't imagine that they'd release something that bad, and it seems like some other people have had success running zMUD on the various beta releases of Vista.

Wizard Joined: 03 Mar 2001 Posts: 1127 Location: London

Christ, I'm surprised you use Windows at all Zugg given the ease at which you leap down Microsoft's throat.
Having used Vista for a week I have to say I don't like it very much. I think it's too slow on decent spec hardware and some changes to the UI seem like nice ideas not quite done right. Still, I'm gonna have to stick with it for the sake of it being a certainty as the next big OS and the fact I work in the industry.
That said, Vista did go through a lengthy beta period and if there were gaping holes in compatibility then things would have been mentioned, which isn't the case in any great numbers.
So far the few things that have been mentioned about Vista haven't actually been an issue at all.
The 10yr old DX3 compatiblity problem throws an error message but doesn't actually stop CMUD doing anything.
A few folder name changes, nothing to write home about.
I'm anticipating a few font issues because Vista uses Calibri instead of Arial so the sizes are different - but then CMUD crashes with large fonts anyway.

And zMUD not working...
But zMUD 7.21 works fine in Vista for me. My mud file opens as does my map. Nothing fancy done, just a clean install of Vista followed by a clean install of zMUD.
So, enough with the doom and gloom, You don't have to like their business practices but they are at least competent.

Honestly, I'm expecting Vista to be almost a complete non-event for Zuggsoft if my initial use of CMUD and zMUD are anything to go by.

Oh, and if you think software is pricey where you live, try living over here - I have far more of a reason to complain.
http://theinq.com/default.aspx?article=36123

[/rant]

Beginner Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 29

My Vista experience with zMUD has been mixed, but I really haven't spent much time on it.

Hehe, Guinn: Zugg didn't really seem to be jumping "down Microsoft's throat" - he was saying "If....". Smile

Another alternative to reverting back to XP from Vista is to install a virtual machine on Vista. That worked well for me.

~G~

GURU Joined: 26 Jul 2001 Posts: 1958 Location: Canada

Virtual machines work well for me as well regardless of the base os.

Wanderer Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 94

Worked fine in Vista for me.

Wizard Joined: 25 Mar 2003 Posts: 1113 Location: USA

I installed Windows Vista Ultimate (Enterprise) on my PC, so maybe it was just some of the corporate security stuff interfering with my zMUD experience. I honestly liked most of the changes I saw in Vista, with the exception of incompatibilities (and being told to ask my vendor for a Vista-capable version, like it's not Microsoft's fault at all) and being prompted six times every time I want to run some installer or delete/move a file. I was a little disappointed that there was no error message, warning dialog, or any sort of hint that told me what might be causing my problems in getting zMUD to work on Vista. Oh, well, I'm back to WinXP now anyway...

Wizard Joined: 14 Aug 2004 Posts: 1269

Larkin, you could try installing Vista in a virtual machine on WinXP and see if you can get zMUD working in that - once you know you can then you can upgrade again... if you think it's worth the hastle, of course.

Wizard Joined: 25 Mar 2003 Posts: 1113 Location: USA

My PC at home isn't beefy enough to run a virtual machine very well. I run a Fedora Core 5 VM in Virtual PC 2004, and it brings my system almost to its knees. Ironically, I can't run the Virtual PC 2004 (a Microsoft product) in Vista, so I lose the use of my Linux VM if I upgrade. So, zMUD isn't the only application I had troubles with, and that's really the reason I downgraded again.

Beginner Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 29

Larkin: Have you tried the Beta of Virtual PC 2007? That (mostly) works in Vista.