Hi Jerry

Sorry I remembered wrong  - mine is a :

Alibre Design™ Expert
Alibre Design Version: 2017.1.2 64-bit [Build 18701]

So that is at least a few updated newer and a 64 bit version.

No I experienced any changes - but it is 'locked' as in I would have to buy a completely new version - if I wanted to update it .... and that is more than $3200 when I looked a few months ago 
.... more than a factor 10 in price hike upwards   

+ I would have to contact them again if I buy a new computer - to be able to move it again .... (kind of OK).

You could still contact them and ask if your can be moved ....

Another option :  Windows 10 (and probably 11) do actually contain Hyper-V and Hyper-V Manager in it's belly (though that free version might not stay with us for much longer .... can't say for sure).
Hyper-V Mangager allows you to run several Virtual Microsoft enviroment (and some non Microsoft) as virtual Machines on you Windows 10 PC. A lot run an older Windows 7 this way.

So if you 'Saved your Windows 7 Machine' as an Image File (in the correct maner) you could keep on running this Image on any Hyper-V enviroment for years to come ....
That is until Microsoft for one reason of another f..ks this up too .... They do say that the majority of their own (virtuel) Servers runs in this enviroment and they garantie that they will do so until at least 2031 .... Though maybe only on Windows Server 2022 and upwards ....

There are at least two other major players in this field - but I can't say if they will continue to support free versions ....

Per     

ps  I cross my fingers for a decent solution for you.

Yep that was what the Gleason reference was about! Fantastic gear cutting machines. There were a room full of them at the big US based controls branch plant I worked at in Toronto. Later I toured what was Westinghouse's gas turbine plant in Hamilton Ont. and they had some of the largest Gleason machines I have ever seen. One could cut 12 foot diameter gearing and curvic (Hirth style) couplings. Great to see. I don't have any idea how much gear cutting is still done in North American industry, but I sure hope there's lots of it. 

Thank you Chris,

It would be wonderful if we could recreate the face to face exhibitor/ visitor environment we used to enjoy at the old Guildford, Bristol, Sundown and Ascot model engineering shows of ten years, or more, ago. They were great for the exhibitor and great for the model engineering enthusiasts visiting the show. Everyone enjoyed chatting, discussing and demonstrations of our creations; all came away with broad smiles on their faces.

Mike

Ah, now I see the adjustment feature in the pushrods that Gerrit I think was mentioning.  Very cool...and also a bit jaw dropping threading 1-72 in what is basically thin wall tubing.  Very cool!

 

Mike - that is all sounding very positive - well done!

Chris