Win4Lin--For Those Who Can't Leave Microsoft Windows Behind Getting Win4Lin 4.0 Workstation Edition Dee-Ann LeBlanc
Tuesday, July 16, 2002 10:23:16 PM
You can get Win4Lin 4.0 Workstation Edition from NeTraverse
(www.netraverse.com) directly, either by purchasing the electronic
download version for $89.99, or through ordering the boxed version for
$99.99 plus shipping.
The only items one can compare a package like Win4Lin to are other
Linux tools that allow people to work with Windows software. These
programs include WINE, the CodeWeavers' tools, Lindows, TransGaming,
and others. Let's take a look at how each of these fares in
positioning itself against Win4Lin:
Transgaming's WineX: This is the most simple of the product
comparisons. WineX is strictly a platform for playing games written
for the Windows operating system. Win4Lin is a business and
productivity platform, and while some Windows games will run under
this package, DirectX is not supported as yet in Win4Lin.
CodeWeavers' CrossOver Plugin and CrossOver Office: This is arguably
Win4Lin's closest competitor. The largest difference between these two
products is that with CodeWeavers, you solely run WINE underneath the
hood, there is no need to install an actual copy of Microsoft Windows.
With Win4Lin, you actually install the entire Microsoft Windows
operating system onto the Linux box. Outside of this issue, the two
companies each keep a list of the Windows programs their product
supports on their web sites, at www.codeweavers.com and
www.netraverse.com.
Lindows: This offering is in a world of its own. Rather than a
program that enables Windows applications to run, or Windows to run
under Linux, Lindows is an operating system built to run both Linux
and Windows programs. There are a number of features meant to help the
Linux newcomer, including the ability to sign up to a software
warehouse and install new programs with a single click.
WINE: The WINE project is the parent of all of the children above
except for Win4Lin. WINE is still considered an alpha project but the
team hopes to get past that hurdle within the next year, as I've
reported previously.
As you can see, there's an interesting variety of products out there
that cater to the crowd who wants to run Linux, but needs to run
Windows programs as well.
