OVERVIEW
Orion Law Management Systems, Inc. has successfully tested and verified that Orion 4.5 software and Pervasive 11 products run on the Windows 8 operating system. Tests were performed with Orion software installed on a clean installation of the operating system in different environments. The contents of this report will define the specific level of compatibility available with Windows 8 and explain the issues and potential problems that may be encountered.
BACKGROUND
Windows 8 differs from previous Windows versions with its unique touch screens and app handling. Windows 8 introduces significant changes to the operating system’s platform, primarily focused towards improving its user experience on mobile devices such as tablets to rival other mobile operating systems like Android and iOS. As with all software, there can be compatibility issues to worry about… some compatibility breaks are inevitable due to innovations, security tightening, and increased reliability.
DISCLAIMERS
Be aware that Orion applications were developed and released prior to the introduction of Windows 8 and may not function properly in conjunction with new technologies included with this operating system. This is also true of companion software and most integrated software products used with Orion. However, Orion is committed to offering software solutions that function in current and future Windows environments and will provide updates, patches, work-arounds, and technical recommendations needed to accomplish this goal.
Be advised the level of compatibility will vary between versions of Orion, the various products packaged with Orion, as well as the products integrated with Orion. The specific compatibility issues will depend on a wide variety of factors which are typically beyond Orion’s ability to control. The infinite number of possible configurations combined with the independent actions of operating system producers and other software producers prevents Orion from guaranteeing successful implementations in every situation. We encourage you to ask us to prequalify any environment prior to deploying a Windows 8 environment.
WINDOWS 8 EDITIONS
Orion will provide technical support for the following Windows 8 editions:
Windows 8 Pro
Windows 8 Enterprise
Orion software is not intended for use on typical home user based systems and no support recommendations or work-arounds will be provided for such configurations.
PERVASIVE DATABASE SOFTWARE
Orion software is supported on Windows 8 when running Pervasive PSQL v11 client database software. There are no reported issues when running Windows 8 and PSQL v11 client software.
Wireless Network Cards
Current Windows 8 tablets have wireless NIC cards. Be aware, Orion does not support communication over a wireless NIC card and requires a 100 mb. connection as a minimum.
3RD PARTY SOFTWARE INTEGRATIONS
Compatibility testing of 3rd Party Software integrations is still ongoing. Check back with this
document often to get the latest information regarding supported 3rd party applications.
MICROSOFT OFFICE
Orion software integrations are supported with Microsoft Office 2003, 2007, and 2010 32 bit exclusively when installed on Windows 7 or Windows XP. Installation of any other Microsoft Office version on another operating system is not recommended or supported.
Worldox GX3
Worldox does not yet recommend Windows 8. Until they do so, Orion does not yet support the Orion integration with Worldox in this type of environment.
OTHER INTEGRATIONS
Orion did not test other 3rd party software integrations such as WordPerfect and GroupWise, and therefore cannot recommend their use.
CONCLUSIONS
Windows 8 and Orion Financial & Practice Management software provide a user experience very different from previous versions of Windows. With some exceptions, most users will not encounter problems with Orion directly but may with the operating system in general.
Adopting Windows 8 should require additional research and consideration in your business. The primary purpose of the operating system is designed for home and personal use, and not for most businesses.
In conjunction with this report, Orion recommends that users research the various Microsoft and independent web sites to learn more about Windows 8. While we have provided some background, it is important for the reader to do additional research to ensure they understand the changes in Windows 8 that may affect users, applications, and security requirements.
If you still have questions, we can help. Feel free to contact Orion Support today at support@orionlaw.com or 1-800-305-5867.