I'm retired and do volunteer work using my old PCFile data base (DBase4 compatible). A replacement was offered in a package for $400.00 plus, of which I only need a small part. Are there any more reasonable solutions? Thanks for your answers! I'm still using the DOS PCFile program. I can can open the *.DBF files in Excel but don't have the many options as with the old program. MS Access says the files are too big.
PCFile is one of those golden nuggets from the DOS era, like Xtree.
You can of course still run it within a DOS prompt in Win98, but the command prompt of Win2K and WinXP is less of a sure thing, since those emulate DOS- it may or may not work... Usually if the programs weren't written using Protected-mode/DOS Extenders, they work just fine.
A FREE office program, "OpenOffice", has a database section I believe.
If so, it may ALSO have a converter that will let you convert your database to one it can run, or it may be able to run your database.
Why not simply use an "older" computer, running DOS, and leave your database "as is"?
(The main problem with putting DOS on a new computer is the size of the newer hard drives. DOS can't access drives the size of the new ones, and many manufacturers no longer supply the necessary "adaptor" programs that would permit DOS to access large drives.)
I STILL use DOS for the things it is good for!!
let me know more details to help you more back.