Straight answers.
Why might Windows warn me when I install it?
The installer is signed by Winterforge Ltd., but Windows SmartScreen can still ask about a new release it hasn't seen many times. Click More info and check that the publisher says WINTERFORGE LTD. If it says anything else, don't run it. I'll walk you through it the first time.
Will it run on my computer?
It runs on Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit. We run it on our own PCs, including Windows 10 Home. Older and low-end PCs aren't fully tested, so the first step of any job is trying it on yours.
Is there a Mac version?
No. Windows only for now.
Does it back up my files?
No. It doesn't back up, and it doesn't replace your backups. It indexes and files what you already have.
Do you see my files?
The first conversation is about your business, not your data. When the job starts, I put Winterforge on a folder you choose, on your own machine, and you drive. The software never sends your files to us. If a job would send samples of your files to a cloud AI, you'll know first and can say no.
What happens to my records if Winterforge closes?
They're still yours and still readable. Every filed document has a plain-text record you can open in Notepad, and the search index can be rebuilt from those records. Uninstalling keeps everything by default.
Do I need AI?
No. The filing rules and the search work with no AI at all. The Companion is an optional add-on: a local model on your PC, or your own cloud account. AI can be wrong. Check anything that matters against the file itself.
Does it read scanned documents?
Yes. Scanner PDFs with a text layer are searchable as they are, and pages with no text are read on your own computer by the optional text-recognition part. It doesn't read handwriting.
Is it compliance software?
No. It helps you organize and find records, and prove what you have. It doesn't make you compliant with anything, and it doesn't give legal, safety or tax advice. We are not your lawyer, your auditor, your regulator, or your IT department.
What does it cost?
A number in writing before any work starts. Small jobs stay small. There's no public price list because there's no standard job: the number depends on what you bring and what shape your files are in, and that's most of what the first conversation is for. The first customers in any line get founding pricing, in writing.
Can I get it without you?
Not from a public page yet. I install it with you the first time. After that, updates come through the app itself, signed and checked before they install. That's what EARLY ACCESS means here.
Where are you?
Fort McMurray, Alberta. I work in person across Wood Buffalo, and I can come to your shop.
Winterforge. Fort McMurray. Tell me what's slowing you down.
I'll reply within a couple of business days, and you'll have a number in writing before any work starts. If it's not a fit, I'll tell you.
paul@winter-forge.com · winter-forge.comFort McMurray. I can come to your shop.