CrossOver - Will you make me convert?

Heathens, thou shalt convert! Maybe. Depends how you like my review of Codeweavers CrossOver, a framework for running Windows applications and games on Linux, based on WINE, with focus on installation, ease of use, bottles and bottles management, compatibility of several programs including Microsoft Office 2010 and 2013, Internet Explorer 8, IrfanView, and more. Enjoy.

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/codeweavers-crossover.html


Cheers,
Mrk

 

Review said exactly what I expected. I think I must have second sight, someone call James Randi!

Ahem.

Anyway yes, your review mirrors my own experiences with Wine, etc. I myself hardly use Windows applications at all, other than a handful of old games (which do run under Wine); but for people who do need specialized applications, the barrier between Windows and Linux is often insurmountable.

It's too bad, really. Having the best of both worlds would be nice.

 

You can have the best of both - multiple machines, dual boot etc.
One of the reasons why my high-end desktop run Windows.
I want it all - and I want it now (Queen).
Mrk

 

Also don't forget can run Windows in a virtual machine.

 

The difficulty is the closed source nature of Windows applications, which makes it hard to guess to how to make them compatible with Linux. When you can't weed out all the bugs, compatibility will at best remain limited. Unless you absolutely must run a Windows application under Linux, its best to stick with the native Linux client.

 

I ran Wine for a while. It ran my favorite Windows program well with a few cosmetic glitches. That's the problem with Wine, there is always something not quite right.

I dumped Wine and went with VirtualBox. It works well for programs and some games, just not the ones I want to play.

Windows programs run better in Windows, especially games. Of course one of my favorite games does not like to run under Windows 7 either. Oh Well.

When I saw your article on in my feed reader, I wonder how it would fair. I've heard good and bad about CrossOver. Never tried it my self. Don't think I'll bother now. Seems nothing has really changed.

Yes, it is a myth...

 

i had run few flash games on wine they work well also office like mrk apart from that i never tried anything else of windows on wine.
i agree Nick Rhodes better option is run windows in virtualbox.....etc

also what i find is wine = fedora and crossover like paid one redhat you find new things in wine and when it stable crossover adopt it.


also one interesting thing i found called cross-tie it install all other necessary package require to install example windows IE 8

http://www.codeweavers.com/compatibility/browse/name/?app_id=4225

http://www.codeweavers.com/compatibility/

http://www.codeweavers.com/compatibility/faq/crosstie/

http://www.codeweavers.com/compatibility/search?name=Internet Explorer 8&search=app

hope mrk put more light on it

 

If i may Mrk, i think your review is a little unfair, and confusing imo.

It's true that Crossover does not run every win32 application, or even the majority of them, but one must have this in mind:

1- Windows is complex - it is not DOS.
2- There are many versions. Although one builds on the previous, there ARE differences.
3- Crossover probably does not even target Vista or 7 (idk), because they haven't got even XP right.
4- If you're comparing it to Wine, you should take into consideration that they are a major contributor. What they patch in Crossover, goes to Wine. It is not Cedega.

The menu entries are odd at first, no doubt, but they are not encrypted. Your screenshot shows a search for programs, not the menu tree. I think that is confusing as hell indeed .

Then you say

I don't see anything confusing about it. The webpage says "Bronze Medal (Unsupported)", the application as per your screenshot shows "Not Supported". They're saying the same thing, what am i missing?

That listing is similar to the one for Wine. It displays tested applications.
If you're searching for a program that is not listed (because it is not supported) how are you supposed to know if someone tested it, and how well it runs? Maybe for what you want, it will run fine, or maybe it was not tested.
Better to list all tested applications, but i do agree that the application should only show supported programs by default, or add a good visual cue/ separate them, with some way to search for more, even if unsuported.

Office 2013, i'm giving this one a pass. Let's just say i haven't even seen it.

I still read your articles with some regularity, and enjoy them, but i just wanted to chime in on this one, specially since they gave me a version a while back for free, and i liked it. It runs Office 2007 like a champ.

Just noticed this on their website:

Just make sure you vote for a 3rd party hehe.