ShoWorks is a business application and requires Windows Pro (Professional) to operate effectively.

The need for Windows Pro (Professional) dates back to Microsoft's means of catering to two different market segments - casual home users and professional business needs. When the cost of home computers dropped below the cost of the operating system (Windows), Microsoft was faced with a dilemma of losing a home market to cheaper solutions like Google/Chromebooks, due to the price tag of Windows alone. Microsoft thus created a "Home Edition" to address this market. In attempt to ensure businesses wouldn't begin using the cheaper edition, Microsoft stripped Windows Home Edition down from functionality that would only be needed in "business" applications. One of these functions is memory management - often needed for business applications such as databases (like Microsoft Access).

Per Microsoft's own product description, Home editions of Windows are not intended for business application use, regardless whether they are physically used in the home or in a professional environment.

ShoWorks could technically run on Home Edition however the processing in such a database would be degraded below our standards and the user experience and risk of data integrity would become compromised. Therefore, we require that the "Pro" (business) edition of Windows be used in conjunction with ShoWorks to match the intended use of Windows.