Macintosh: 286-Compatible Emulation Software Needed



I really need to be able to run an MS-DOS-based administration package
inexpensively on my Macintosh.

The package is Dataflex v2.3 and although SoftPC will "sort of" run the
installation section of the package, the package itself won't run at all. I
assume that this is because SoftPC is an XT-compatible emulation. (It runs
perfectly on the AST286 system.)

Are there any AT-compatible PC emulation packages that may get around the
problem? I am trying to find a software solution to run on a Macintosh SE and
to keep the cost to a minimum.

Apple Tech Comm is not aware of any PC emulation software other than SoftPC.
The only 286-compatible solutions we know of are hardware-based solutions and
the Mac286 product from Orange Micro (formerly from AST), which requires two
NuBus slots.

It is possible to add a third-party NuBus expansion chassis to a Macintosh SE,
but the cost is quite high.  The combined price of an expansion chassis for the
Macintosh SE and the Mac286 product makes this an unrealistic solution for a
cost-conscious customer.

We recommend that you contact the vendor of the administration package to
determine if they have an 8088-, 8086- or Macintosh-compatible version of their
software.

For more information, search under: "Orange Micro" and "Insignia Solutions"


Published Date: Feb 18, 2012