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Wine: Pros and Cons?

Posted: 2008-07-05 14:50
by Anzhr
The main con is that it runs closed software developed for a closed environment. I can't think of any piece of software that I would use in it.

I get creeped out by Samba. (Though grateful for everyone's work.)

But is there software that you really need to run in it?

Re: Wine: Pros and Cons?

Posted: 2008-07-05 15:19
by Absent Minded
Anzhr wrote:The main con is that it runs closed software developed for a closed environment. I can't think of any piece of software that I would use in it.

I get creeped out by Samba. (Though grateful for everyone's work.)

But is there software that you really need to run in it?
funny, I thought that would be one of the "pros".

Re: Wine: Pros and Cons?

Posted: 2008-07-05 15:25
by EMD
Anzhr wrote:The main con is that it runs closed software developed for a closed environment.
Not necessarily. I keep the MS Windows version of Mozilla Firefox installed in Wine for the rare occasion when a website insists that you run MS Windows.
Anzhr wrote:But is there software that you really need to run in it?
Your need to run Wine depends on what you're trying to do. For example, I need create mail merges for other people in MS Office. Yes, OpenOffice does the same job, but they don't use OpenOffice and they aren't going to switch anytime soon. It sucks because I'd like to blow that little piece of crap off of my computer, but "network effects" make it impossible (for me) to live MS-free.
.

Re: Wine: Pros and Cons?

Posted: 2008-07-05 15:39
by Anzhr
EMD wrote:Your need to run Wine depends on what you're trying to do. For example, I need create mail merges for other people in MS Office. Yes, OpenOffice does the same job, but they don't use OpenOffice and they aren't going to switch anytime soon. It sucks because I'd like to blow that little piece of crap off of my computer, but "network effects" make it impossible (for me) to live MS-free.
.
Right, that's a good example of a real need (that I don't have).

Posted: 2008-07-05 16:40
by BioTube
I just use it to play games.

Re: Wine: Pros and Cons?

Posted: 2008-07-05 16:44
by AdrianTM
Anzhr wrote:
EMD wrote:Your need to run Wine depends on what you're trying to do. For example, I need create mail merges for other people in MS Office. Yes, OpenOffice does the same job, but they don't use OpenOffice and they aren't going to switch anytime soon. It sucks because I'd like to blow that little piece of crap off of my computer, but "network effects" make it impossible (for me) to live MS-free.
.
Right, that's a good example of a real need (that I don't have).
Yes, let's talk about pros and cons of a program that you don't need... :roll:

(Some) people need to run some specific applications, if they can't run them in Linux they will keep using Windows, and why not? It's silly to move from an OS that runs the application that you need to run to an OS that doesn't. Wine is great in that respect, it gets better day by day and someday when potential Windows converts will complain that [...] legacy software doesn't work in Linux it will be pointed out that it runs beautifully in Wine.

Posted: 2008-07-07 16:33
by Lost Dog
BioTube wrote:I just use it to play games.
I'm playing the original "Fallout" via Wine now!

After finding a disk I could not rip to my HTPC I installed DVD Fab's HD DVD Decrypter in Wine and it ripped the movie with no issues...

Posted: 2008-09-17 06:31
by cfurlin
BioTube wrote:I just use it to play games.
What's the matter with native Linux games?

Posted: 2008-09-17 09:25
by edbarx
I don't have wine installed and the idea of having to install it, makes me shudder!

I am one of those idiots who could create graphical programs for windows and who converted to use Debian. Till now, I am still incapable of writing a GUI program with a single button to display a simple message box! GNU is giving me a hard time where programming, my hobby, is involved. I am always getting stuck by serious unresolved bugs.

Posted: 2008-09-17 11:40
by canci
BTW, can Wine be used to run viruses and other malware on Linux?

Posted: 2008-09-17 12:44
by daengbo
I use it to check out current versions of Abiword and some other OSS software easily.

Posted: 2008-09-17 13:22
by AdrianTM
canci wrote:BTW, can Wine be used to run viruses and other malware on Linux?
Yeah, some of them, and not very well, but it's possible. I know somebody who reported that he installed adware on Wine...

Posted: 2008-09-17 22:54
by BioTube
cfurlin wrote:
BioTube wrote:I just use it to play games.
What's the matter with native Linux games?
A)Commercial ones are few and far between
B)FOSS games are crap :cry:

Posted: 2008-09-17 23:55
by Noven
BioTube wrote:
cfurlin wrote:
BioTube wrote:I just use it to play games.
What's the matter with native Linux games?
A)Commercial ones are few and far between
B)FOSS games are crap :cry:
Wesnoth rocks (and so does Teeworlds!)

Re: Wine: Pros and Cons?

Posted: 2008-09-18 00:14
by vmclark
Absent Minded wrote:
Anzhr wrote:The main con is that it runs closed software developed for a closed environment. I can't think of any piece of software that I would use in it.

I get creeped out by Samba. (Though grateful for everyone's work.)

But is there software that you really need to run in it?
funny, I thought that would be one of the "pros".
This is a very funny ironic statement.

I use AceMoney under Wine. Gnucash and all the rest I've tried and I'm not interested in. Besides, I'm use to it and have no reason to change. I also play games under Wine.

Posted: 2008-09-18 00:47
by BioTube
Noven wrote:
BioTube wrote:
cfurlin wrote:
What's the matter with native Linux games?
A)Commercial ones are few and far between
B)FOSS games are crap :cry:
Wesnoth rocks (and so does Teeworlds!)
I'll be sure to check them out once I get a new computer(my processor freezes at the drop of a hat when under load; I think I broke it).

Re: Wine: Pros and Cons?

Posted: 2008-09-18 03:33
by mzilikazi
Anzhr wrote:The main con is that it runs closed software developed for a closed environment. I can't think of any piece of software that I would use in it.
You have made an incorrect asumption that all software written for Windows is closed source and proprietary. That simply isn't true. Let's also not forget that some of us (such as myself) are forced to use Windows only apps at work. Would you suggest that I quit my job because they primarily use Windows?
I get creeped out by Samba. (Though grateful for everyone's work.)I getI get creeped out by Samba. (Though grateful for everyone's work.)

But is there software that you really need to run in it?
Samba is not WINE! To quote the Samba website
"Samba is an Open Source/Free Software suite that provides seamless file and print services to SMB/CIFS clients."
The reality of it is that Microsoft is everywhere, especially in the business world and anything that makes it possible for me to use my Linux box in a seamless fashion makes it possible for me to use my preferred OS in a primarily Microsoft environment.

Posted: 2008-09-18 03:44
by AdrianTM
Would you suggest that I quit my job because they primarily use Windows?
I don't, but RMS does. If you are a FSF robot that doesn't think for himself like many on this site then go ahead and listen to him.

Posted: 2008-09-18 04:50
by Absent Minded
AdrianTM wrote:
Would you suggest that I quit my job because they primarily use Windows?
I don't, but RMS does. If you are a FSF robot that doesn't think for himself like many on this site then go ahead and listen to him.
I resent that just because we are not all lovers of Windows like you that you would imply that many of us here are mindless attomatons fallowing the masses.

Posted: 2008-09-18 09:42
by canci
AdrianTM wrote:
canci wrote:BTW, can Wine be used to run viruses and other malware on Linux?
Yeah, some of them, and not very well, but it's possible. I know somebody who reported that he installed adware on Wine...
TNX, reason enough to use it as least as possible - especially since Wine is open source and ppl can look into
the code and "teach" malware how to abuse its weak spots.
But I guess the occasional game should not be of much harm - offline game that is.