UNC Linux Users Group

[Cristobal Palmer <cmpalmer AT ils.unc.edu>]

On Fri, May 19, 2006 at 01:45:38PM -0400, Jesse Aaron Safir wrote:
> 
> Brian,
> 
> What's the difference between CrossOver Office and WINE?

CrossOver is a product of Codeweavers that has a proprietary/restrictive
license, BUT does give you a very nice, relatively usable product compared to
the Open Source WINE project.

If you want the ability to run misc MS/windows apps on your linux machine,
what you really want is VMware workstation. That will allow you to run the
entire MS operating system inside a virtual machine on your Linux box. Don't
attempt this unless you have > 10GB of HD space you can throw at it and > 1GB
of RAM on the machine in question. Much less than that and you won't be very
happy with the performance of your system.

Please do note that VMware _also_ has a proprietary/closed/restrictive
license and will "taint" your kernel. If you are running RHEL and getting
support from them, they won't help you with whatever machine you stick it
on (so I hear, anyway). Official support agreements and closed/open arguments
aside, VMware workstation is a decent product.

Keep your eye on Xen, though. Xen is coming along fast and will, with the
right VT CPU hardware, allow for the hosting of unmodified guest operating
systems (read: windows).

-CMP
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 
> > I will throw in a plug for CrossOver office. It is a very cool product
> > if you have to have it. For nothing else, it's fun to watch the MS
> > Office install do a "reboot" inside a window while the machine keeps
> > right on humming along.
> >
> > Cristobal Palmer wrote:
> > > On Thu, May 18, 2006 at 05:48:26PM -0400, Jesse Aaron Safir wrote:
> > >> Greg et al,
> > >>
> > >> How about WINE?  It appears that WINE is included in SuSE Linux 10.1 so
> > >> perhaps we don't need CrossOver Office if it's nearly the same thing?  
> > >> Do
> > >> you know of any good documents or guides that are about getting started
> > >> with WINE?
> > >
> > > While there is documentation on how to get started with wine, it is not 
> > > for
> > > the timid or weak, and it is hardly a complete solution, as it is always
> > > going to be behind the curve and there will always be 
> > > plugins/extensions for
> > > MS Office that aren't compatible.
> > >
> > > What's wrong with OpenOffice.org? What do you need to do with MS Office 
> > > that
> > > you can't do with a Linux-native app? If you _must_ use MS Office, you 
> > > will
> > > currently need to purchase Codeweaver's product or perhaps simply run 
> > > an MS
> > > OS under VMware or do a dual boot or...
> > >
> > > But again... what are you trying to do that there's not an Open Source 
> > > app?
> > >
> > > -CMP
> > >
> > >>> http://en.opensuse.org/Using_Xgl_on_SUSE_Linux
> > >>>
> > >>> Steps your through the process. It is unclear to me if the i830 is
> > >>> supported. Best thing to do is try. The i845 is supported.
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> --
> > >>> gregory j pryzby
> > >>> technology specialist
> > >>> office: 703-880-4979
> > >>> gpryzby AT novell.com
> > >>>
> > >>> Novell, Inc.
> > >>> Software for the Open Enterprise
> > >>> http://www.novell.com/open
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>>>> On Wed, May 17, 2006 at  7:49 PM, in message
> > >>> <Pine.WNT.4.63.0605171936010.2100@vgfqfwnfe40>, Jesse Aaron Safir
> > >>> <jesse_safir AT unc.edu> wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>>> Okay so I have SuSE Linux 10.1 from OpenSuSE.org but how do I get
> > >>> this Xgl
> > >>>> stuff working?  Will my ThinkPad R31 support it?  I've got an Intel
> > >>> i830
> > >>>> graphics card and it does say "Activate 3D Acceleration".  What else
> > >>> do I
> > >>>> need to do?
> > >>>
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> unclug mailing list
> > >> unclug AT lists.ibiblio.org
> > >> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/unclug
> > >
> >
> > --
> > Brian Payst, MS
> > Director of Technology & Systems Support
> > Division of Student Affairs
> > The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
> > voice: (919) 962-1469 fax: (919) 962-5241
> > _______________________________________________
> > unclug mailing list
> > unclug AT lists.ibiblio.org
> > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/unclug
> >
> _______________________________________________
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-- 
------------------------------------------
Cristobal M. Palmer
UNC-CH SILS
cmpalmer AT ils.unc.edu

internet equivalent of naked baby photos:
http://ils.unc.edu/~cmpalmer/ 
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