Obsession Offline

Hi Ethan,

As far as I remember, the Obsession 1 files would only be read offline by Obsession Offline.  The trick is that Obsession Offline would only run in DOS.  An XP operating system can't open the DOS shell that Obs Offline requires.

I used to keep a Windows 98 machine around just to run legacy ETC offline programs.  Unfortunately, I don't know if the computer will still work and if I can save an ASCII file of the show.

If you email me a copy of the file, I can try to fire up the old computer and see what I can get.  FYI, I will need both files from the show floppy zipped together to get it to work.  As I remember, there is a show file and a library file.

Email address is john(underscore)d(dot)palmer(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

Take care,

John

Ethan, I am supremely unqualified to give Mac advice. But I know a few Mac users who are able to run Obsession (I) Offline using virtual x86 (i.e. PC) emulation software like Parallels. The key is that you need a DOS (or FreeDOS) installation to install Obession Offline to. Alternatively, I know people who maintain an obsolete PC (..that was discarded by an IT department, and thus free to them) solely to run Obsession Offline (OOL).

You cannot run OOL under WinXP, and you cannot read Obsession I shows with Obsession II Offline. It is possible to install OOL on XP machines by partitioning the hard drive with a tool like Partition Commander, but this is an advanced technique I don't recommend to a Mac user. (That's not meant to sound patronizing, I just mean that if you wanted or needed to be a PC expert, you wouldn't have bought a Mac, and you certainly made the right decision!)

Tim