PropertyWise: Commitment to Legacy Support

At CouncilWise, we’ve always believed in standing by our products and supporting our customers, no matter how old the software might be. Unlike other software companies that force their customers to upgrade to remain supported, we take a different approach. While we no longer sell our PropertyWise product, we remain unwavering in our commitment to support it.

A Legacy of Reliability

For those unfamiliar, PropertyWise is our older on-premise software, developed in Visual Basic 6, a programming language that dates back to 1998. Despite its age, PropertyWise still has a dedicated user base that hasn't transitioned to our new web-based platform, CouncilWise. This means we continue to ensure that PropertyWise operates smoothly on modern Windows computers.

Pushing Boundaries: Running PropertyWise on a Mac

We decided to take our commitment a step further by exploring the possibility of running PropertyWise on a Mac. Achieving this was no small feat, involving several significant challenges:

1. Windows Compatibility: Most people know you can’t simply run Windows software on an Apple computer.
2. 32-bit vs. 64-bit: Visual Basic 6 creates 32-bit software, whereas modern macOS versions only support 64-bit applications.
3. Architectural Differences: Most Windows computers use x86 architecture, but since August 2020, Apple has transitioned to ARM architecture, similar to that used in smartphones.

Despite these obstacles, we managed to get PropertyWise operating on a Mac (albeit not perfectly), demonstrating our dedication to dragging our software into the future rather than abandoning it.

How we did it

This achievement wasn’t a result of running the software in a virtual machine or resorting to remote desktop tricks. We accomplished this feat by running the full PropertyWise executable via an open-source software called "Wine". It's important to note that this wasn't emulation; rather, it involved using Wine as a translation layer. As far as the Mac is concerned, it's running a native Mac ARM software package.

Getting Wine to run in 32-bit mode, which was necessary, presented its own set of challenges. Once accomplished, we proceeded to install the Windows requirements using "winetricks", installing the following components:

• comctl32
• comctl32ocx
• comdlg32ocx
• dotnet40_kb2468871
• mdac28
• jet40
• vb6run
• vcrun6sp6
• crypt32
• cabinet
• iertutil
• msaa
• richtx32
• tabctl32
• urlmon
• winhttp
• wininet
• art2k7min

Furthermore, we had to create a custom PropertyWise requirements installer specifically for this exercise. After overcoming this hurdle, we successfully ran the executable.

This endeavour showcases our dedication to finding innovative solutions and pushing the boundaries to ensure our customers can continue to use PropertyWise, regardless of their operating system preferences.

Why This Matters

This effort underscores our philosophy: we value our customers and their investments in our products. By continuing to support PropertyWise, we show our commitment to providing reliable service and solutions, regardless of the age of the software. This dedication sets us apart in the industry, proving that we genuinely care about the needs and preferences of our users.

Looking Forward

While we encourage our customers to consider migrating to CouncilWise for the latest features and improvements, we understand the importance of stability and continuity. Our ongoing support for PropertyWise is a testament to our promise to be there for our customers, ensuring they can rely on our software for as long as they need it.

Thank you for being part of the CouncilWise community. We look forward to continuing to support you, whether you’re using PropertyWise or our latest solutions.

Stay tuned for more updates and innovations from CouncilWise!

For more information, or if you have any questions, please visit our support page or contact us directly. We're here to help you make the most out of your PropertyWise experience.