mood Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Run Windows apps on Linux with Wine 6.0 It used to be, people would scoff at the idea of switching to a Linux-based operating system due to a lack of software. While that is still true for some folks -- especially business users -- it is less of a concern these days. Why? Well, so many things are done through the web browser nowadays, lessening dependence on Windows software. For many consumers, just having the Google Chrome browser on, say, Ubuntu, is more than enough to accomplish their wants and needs. Not to mention, there are many quality Linux apps like GIMP and DaVinci Resolve. But OK, lets say you really want to use a Linux-based operating system, but there's some Windows-only software that you absolutely cannot live without. Thankfully, you may still be able to ditch Windows and upgrade to something like Fedora or Linux Mint. How? Thanks to the excellent Wine. This compatibility layer (don't you dare call it an emulator), can sometimes enable you to run Windows software on Linux. Today, version 6.0 is released. "The Wine team is proud to announce that the stable release Wine 6.0 is now available. This release represents a year of development effort and over 8,300 individual changes," explains Alexandre Julliard, Wine developer. Julliard also says, "This release is dedicated to the memory of Ken Thomases, who passed away just before Christmas at the age of 51. Ken was an incredibly brilliant developer, and the mastermind behind the macOS support in Wine. We all miss his skills, his patience, and his dark sense of humor." The developer shares the following areas where major changes were implemented. You can see a full change log here. Core modules in PE format. Vulkan backend for WineD3D. DirectShow and Media Foundation support. Text console redesign. Before you get too excited, you should know that Wine is hardly flawless. Some apps and games will work fine, while others may be slow or buggy. There can be a lot of trial and error involved. Unless a certain Windows-only program is critical for you, I would instead recommend finding a Linux alternative -- or opting for a web-based solution -- such as Microsoft's excellent Office Online. In other words, in many cases, Wine should be a last resort. If you are ready to download Wine 6.0, you can get the source here. Looking for an easier way to install it? You can download the appropriate packages here. What Windows-only software is stopping you from switching to Linux? Please tell me in the comments below. Source: Run Windows apps on Linux with Wine 6.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aum Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Wine pops cork on version 6.0 of the Windows compatibility layer for *nix systems We'll drink to that The compatibility layer for Windows applications, Wine, has celebrated the start of 2021 in the traditional manner – with a substantial update. After spending December and the early part of January going through six release candidates, the stable Wine 6.0 has been rolled out, replete with over 8,300 individual changes and a year of effort from the team. While the developers were keen to draw attention to the major changes, namely core modules (including the likes of NTDLL and KERNEL32) now being in Portable Executable (PE) format, DirectShow support and Vulkan backend for WineD3D, a considerable number of other tweaks should serve to improve compatibility for those who have that one weird Windows app that they really can't do without in Linux. Most likely a game. Direct3D enhancements include support for Direct3D 9 alpha-to-coverage multi-sampling and the graphics card database has seen an update, allowing more hardware to be recognised. The drawing of arcs, ellipses, and rounded rectangles using the Direct2D API has been implemented and more Media Detector APIs are now working. On the input device front, an initial USB kernel driver has been added, along with mouse history and plug-and-play device notifications. For hardware, changes include the removal of code for 32-bit PowerPC architecture. Initial support has been added for Apple's new silicon as well as ARM64 on macOS. As for compatibility, Wine currently lists more than 27,000 applications (and versions) in its library in various states of support. It is well worth checking out the list before wondering why that precious app is failing to start. Wine is, after all, a translation layer and most definitely not an emulator. The release has been dedicated by the Wine team to developer Ken Thomases, who passed away just before Christmas at the age of 51. ® Source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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