I could do that, and have, but I'm not sure it's a good idea. I'm not convinced of the quality of such cheap hardware. For example, I don't get stability problems with Windows other people complain about when I ran it on x86 workstations.
Where will they go in the next upgrade cycle in light of Wine / Crossover Office?
I'm not so sure tha Wine/Crossover is going to have a major impact. Even in the Linux world it doesn't seem popular. People who use Linux/UNIX, for the most part, don't want to use MS apps. They will stick with OO simply because it's NOT an MS app, even though it really isn't as good.
What I see happening, even in the sciences, is that the Mac OS is used for everything except for those programs that are only available in UNIX form. Then they usually go to X11.
What I also see happening at an ever increasing rate is that those apps are moving over to Aqua. Even scientists don't like poking around in their machine if they don't have to. The difference between these tech types is that they will teach themselves to program if they need an app that doesn't exist. UNIX has been the preferred medium, but there is a lot of movement over to OS X and even Aqua. Pharmaceuticals would be another good example of this.
But all of thes hi-tech users only compose, right now, a couple of hundred thousand machines a year, at most.
I'm not so sure tha Wine/Crossover is going to have a major impact. Even in the Linux world it doesn't seem popular. People who use Linux/UNIX, for the most part, don't want to use MS apps. They will stick with OO simply because it's NOT an MS app, even though it really isn't as good.
What I see happening, even in the sciences, is that the Mac OS is used for everything except for those programs that are only available in UNIX form. Then they usually go to X11.
What I also see happening at an ever increasing rate is that those apps are moving over to Aqua. Even scientists don't like poking around in their machine if they don't have to. The difference between these tech types is that they will teach themselves to program if they need an app that doesn't exist. UNIX has been the preferred medium, but there is a lot of movement over to OS X and even Aqua. Pharmaceuticals would be another good example of this.
But all of thes hi-tech users only compose, right now, a couple of hundred thousand machines a year, at most.
From what I understand there is a move to push from X11drv to Wine using Cairo; which in turn will make the Mac port that little bit easier.
As for Wine; it actually runs Access quite well; if they can get Project to work as well, you'll start to see quite a number of people consider Mac as their platform of choice.
From what I understand there is a move to push from X11drv to Wine using Cairo; which in turn will make the Mac port that little bit easier.
As for Wine; it actually runs Access quite well; if they can get Project to work as well, you'll start to see quite a number of people consider Mac as their platform of choice.
One of the problems with Wine and Crossover is that they only work with some programs. There are too many API's for them to get them all this way. Each program has to be checked and often needs individual work.
Anyway, this is fine for those programs that aren't available on the Mac. I'd hate to see people using them INSTEAD of Mac programs.
One of the problems with Wine and Crossover is that they only work with some programs. There are too many API's for them to get them all this way. Each program has to be checked and often needs individual work.
Anyway, this is fine for those programs that aren't available on the Mac. I'd hate to see people using them INSTEAD of Mac programs.
Alot of the main parts of the win32 API have already been implemented; its mainly the small obscure parts and some parts of the API that have work arounds that some programmes rely on - undocumented features, for example.
Ultimately, however, I don't think it would ever replace native applications; the fact is, a Windows application, no matter how good the ABI (Application Binary Interface), the fact will still be that end users will want native look and feel - and knowing that their software is going to be fully supported on that particular platform.
I'd say that most people would simply use it to run Microsoft applications - a company who would never consider, for example, porting their Project management sotware.
One that will be interesting to see is how well the Mono implementation of winforms go and whether it will be able to run Microsoft C# applications like ASP.NET Matrix, which is a freebie download.
Comments
Originally posted by melgross
If you want Linux, buy almost any cheap box.
I could do that, and have, but I'm not sure it's a good idea. I'm not convinced of the quality of such cheap hardware. For example, I don't get stability problems with Windows other people complain about when I ran it on x86 workstations.
Originally posted by JeffDM
Where will they go in the next upgrade cycle in light of Wine / Crossover Office?
I'm not so sure tha Wine/Crossover is going to have a major impact. Even in the Linux world it doesn't seem popular. People who use Linux/UNIX, for the most part, don't want to use MS apps. They will stick with OO simply because it's NOT an MS app, even though it really isn't as good.
What I see happening, even in the sciences, is that the Mac OS is used for everything except for those programs that are only available in UNIX form. Then they usually go to X11.
What I also see happening at an ever increasing rate is that those apps are moving over to Aqua. Even scientists don't like poking around in their machine if they don't have to. The difference between these tech types is that they will teach themselves to program if they need an app that doesn't exist. UNIX has been the preferred medium, but there is a lot of movement over to OS X and even Aqua. Pharmaceuticals would be another good example of this.
But all of thes hi-tech users only compose, right now, a couple of hundred thousand machines a year, at most.
Originally posted by melgross
I'm not so sure tha Wine/Crossover is going to have a major impact. Even in the Linux world it doesn't seem popular. People who use Linux/UNIX, for the most part, don't want to use MS apps. They will stick with OO simply because it's NOT an MS app, even though it really isn't as good.
What I see happening, even in the sciences, is that the Mac OS is used for everything except for those programs that are only available in UNIX form. Then they usually go to X11.
What I also see happening at an ever increasing rate is that those apps are moving over to Aqua. Even scientists don't like poking around in their machine if they don't have to. The difference between these tech types is that they will teach themselves to program if they need an app that doesn't exist. UNIX has been the preferred medium, but there is a lot of movement over to OS X and even Aqua. Pharmaceuticals would be another good example of this.
But all of thes hi-tech users only compose, right now, a couple of hundred thousand machines a year, at most.
From what I understand there is a move to push from X11drv to Wine using Cairo; which in turn will make the Mac port that little bit easier.
As for Wine; it actually runs Access quite well; if they can get Project to work as well, you'll start to see quite a number of people consider Mac as their platform of choice.
Originally posted by kaiwai
From what I understand there is a move to push from X11drv to Wine using Cairo; which in turn will make the Mac port that little bit easier.
As for Wine; it actually runs Access quite well; if they can get Project to work as well, you'll start to see quite a number of people consider Mac as their platform of choice.
One of the problems with Wine and Crossover is that they only work with some programs. There are too many API's for them to get them all this way. Each program has to be checked and often needs individual work.
Anyway, this is fine for those programs that aren't available on the Mac. I'd hate to see people using them INSTEAD of Mac programs.
Originally posted by melgross
One of the problems with Wine and Crossover is that they only work with some programs. There are too many API's for them to get them all this way. Each program has to be checked and often needs individual work.
Anyway, this is fine for those programs that aren't available on the Mac. I'd hate to see people using them INSTEAD of Mac programs.
Alot of the main parts of the win32 API have already been implemented; its mainly the small obscure parts and some parts of the API that have work arounds that some programmes rely on - undocumented features, for example.
Ultimately, however, I don't think it would ever replace native applications; the fact is, a Windows application, no matter how good the ABI (Application Binary Interface), the fact will still be that end users will want native look and feel - and knowing that their software is going to be fully supported on that particular platform.
I'd say that most people would simply use it to run Microsoft applications - a company who would never consider, for example, porting their Project management sotware.
One that will be interesting to see is how well the Mono implementation of winforms go and whether it will be able to run Microsoft C# applications like ASP.NET Matrix, which is a freebie download.