[ltp] Distributions - Wine

[Richard Neill]

Charles E Taylor IV wrote:
> On Sat, 07 Dec 2002 01:03:06 +0000
> Richard Neill <rn214@hermes.cam.ac.uk> wrote:
> 
> 
>>2)Windows software - you can run most of it using WINE. You can get an 
>>rpm from codeweavers.com (for free). It depends how complex it  is - but
>>  generally, if it doesn't involve special hardware or graphics 
>>acceleration, it will probably work well enough. (Get the codeweavers 
>>wine - Mandrake's version isn't actually as good).
> 
> 
> Codeweavers wine is better, but you'll need a Windows partition (or a
> Windows "directory") to really use most Windows software.  I've had
> problems particularly with installers barfing while trying to install
> software to run on Linux.

It depends what you use. A *crude* rule of thumb is "if it will install 
on W95, and it doesn't use hardware directly", it should work. Actually, 
wine is probably better than that. The codeweavers version of wine gives 
you the option to create a "fake_windows installation", whereas 
Mandrake's version requires a windows partition. I've had successes with 
the current wine (preview 7) and no MS Windows:

	Lotus Smartsuite Millennium - and it didn't even need a reboot!
	Mathcad - (5.0 for Win 3.1)
	Microchip's PIC assembler MPASM
	A serial PIC programmer designed for Win.

I've failed with:
	Canon USB scanner
	Psion Wavefinder (Digital Radio via USB)
	PC MarketEye (although it nearly works)

I haven't tried the crossover office stuff, but I understand that it works.

Hope these data points are of some faint interest!

Best wishes

Richard