From: Bob Lefcovich, VP Sales and Customer Support

It is with a nostalgic tear that Editware announces that as of January 1, 2002, we will no longer be adding new features and/or new protocols to Super Edit Version 7. But support of VPEs with Version 7 will continue, just not to the same level that we can support your VPE with Version 8. We will continue to support your legacy VPE's hardware, continue to be available with 24/7 telephone and email support, fix any Version 7 problems as they arise (memory dependent), and supply to you any existing machine drivers as your needs change.

Version 7 was introduced in April, 1993 with over 50 new features and enhancements. It emphasized the strong support being given to this product by Editware at a time when other manufacturers were dropping support for existing products in favor of their newer ones.

In June, 1995, the VPE-300 series of editors that included a PCMCIA hard drive and an SBC4 motherboard was introduced. We continued to support and write new software for the older VPE series.

Editware introduced Version 8 for the VPE-300 series in May, 1997, and adapted it to work on the older VPE-100 and -200 series of editors (except for the 131 and 141 models, which did not have sufficient memory to run all the new 'whiz-bang' features). A trade-in program was initiated to allow these customers to upgrade to a 141L model with V8 for the price (at that time) of $3,900. This gave them 2 HD 1.44MB floppy drives, Version 8 software, and an extended warranty for 1 full year.

This was followed by the introduction of the DPE-500 series of hybrid editors in March of 1999 (Super Edit on Windows), and now the Fastrack VS (graphical interface-based hybrid editor), which has recently begun shipping.

Through all of this, we have continued to add new features, new capabilities, and new protocols for the newly released devices for those who chose to continue to run V7. Our customers have always received exceptional support for their legacy VPE editors.

While we will continue to support the existing VPE hardware for those V7 systems that remain (and continue to fix bugs as they rear their ugly heads), we can no longer add new features or device control protocols to the V7 software. There is just not enough room left in the code for any more additions.

Customers with VPE-141L, 151, 241, 241L, 251, 331, 341, and 351 systems that are still using V7 can upgrade to V8 software for as little as $1000. This price includes the high-density floppy drives now supported by V8.

Customers who have the VPE-131 and 141 editors can upgrade to a more robust VPE or a DPE-500 Series editor. We are offering the UP131-141L and the UP141-241 upgrades at the same price they were when first introduced in 1997…$3,900 (subject to availability). But this offer will only be honored through January 31, 2002.

If interested in upgrading to a larger memory system or to Version 8, please contact Editware Sales at (530) 477-4300 ext. 11 or email Bob Lefcovich at bobl@editware.com.