How To Run Windows Apps In Linux
Wine is a free, open-source way to run Windows apps on Linux
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Monday, June 22, 2009; 10:19 AM
Wine is an open source project that, on the face of it, seems to offer something wondrous: the ability to run Windows applications under Linux (or any other open source OS). It does this by attempting to recreate the Windows API layer in open source.
Finally! A chance to run those Windows programs for which there are no open source analogs: Quicken, or Flash CS. And all those games!
Sadly, the reality is a little more complicated. Yes, Wine is pretty good at running some Windows software and games. But to get the most out of it, you need to hack. Often, getting Wine to deliver is a black art, and not for novices.
Luckily, there are several ready-made installation wizards that help get around problems. These are scripts written by people who have done the hacking for you. There are four projects in particular that are worthy of mention: CrossOver, Cedega, Wine-Doors, and PlayOnLinux.
CrossOver comes in Game and standard versions, and is a proprietary and commercial project created by the same developers behind Wine. As such, it's simply the best choice for a fuss-free life. It'll cost you, but some of the money goes into sponsoring Wine developers.
Cedega is another proprietary and commercial project, this time primarily for gamers. By most accounts, it's the best choice if you simply want to play games, and the Cedega developers hack the Wine code significantly for better results. It will cost you, however, and works on a subscription basis rather than one-off licensing fee.
Wine-Doors and PlayOnLinux are both open source, and free-of-charge, so you may as well try each to find which suits your needs best. I take a quick look at both below. These instructions are for Ubuntu 9.04.
Preparation
Before installing any Wine application, it's a good idea to install the Microsoft Core Web fonts. These are the usual font suspects in a typical Windows install (Arial, Times New Roman etc.) and many Windows applications expect to find them in place. Things will probably look odd without them.
You can install them by either copying the .ttf files from a Windows installation, or by installing the msttcorefonts package. Fonts that are not supplied as part of this package, but which some applications might need, include Tahoma and MS Sans. You can find these around the web if you search. You can install them by creating a folder called .fonts in your/home directory and placing them there.
If you want to import directly from a Windows installation, you'll find the fonts in the C:\windows\fonts directory. Copy all the .ttf files to a USB stick, create a new folder in your/home directory called .fonts (note the period before the word fonts!), and place them there. And that's it. The fonts will now be available in all your applications.
PlayOnLinux
To install PlayOnLinux, you'll need to add a new repository and install a software package from it. Open a terminal window (Applications, Accessories, Terminal) and type the following:
