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Is there any way to get windows programs to run on ubuntu?

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I have just installed ubuntu onto my computer and was thinking of changing over completely, yet there are a few programs that I need for work. These programs are essential for my day to day activities, and range from accounting packages to cad drafting programs.

Do I need to buy new programs? Or can I run my windows programs?

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Clarifications

In reply to Is there any way to get windows programs to run on ubuntu?

Clarifications

To the best of my knowledge,

In reply to Is there any way to get windows programs to run on ubuntu?

which is limited re: Linuxanyflavor, Ubuntu comes with Virtual Box. Virtual Box allows for running Windows and Windows programs in a virtual machine.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/VirtualBox

theres WINE – but VB is a better option

In reply to Is there any way to get windows programs to run on ubuntu?

hi,

I agree the virtual box running a virtual windows is the best option. But you can use Wine for some apps also.
here are some demos of Wine with 3d games.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpJPgw1Wgcw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaBbLOGqnXo

hope that helps

here is another option i just found “bordeaux”

In reply to Is there any way to get windows programs to run on ubuntu?

Hi

you may want to look ath this
http://www.wine-reviews.net/wine-reviews/bordeaux/bordeaux-206-for-linux-released.html

Supported Applications/Games:

* Microsoft Office 2007
* Microsoft Office 2003
* Microsoft Office 2000
* Microsoft Office 97
* Microsoft Office Visio 2003
* Microsoft Office Project 2003
* Adobe Photoshop 6
* Adobe Image Ready 3
* Adobe Photoshop 7
* Adobe Image Ready 7
* Adobe Photoshop CS
* Adobe Photoshop CS2
* Microsoft Internet Explorer 7
* Microsoft Internet Explorer 6
* FireFox 3.6.3 and multimedia plug ins
* Steam and Steam based Games
* Google SketchUp 7.1
* VLC 1.1.0
* Apple QuickTime 6.5.2 Player
* IrfanView 4.27 (Image files only)
* Winetricks support

About Bordeaux:

The Bordeaux Technology Group is a software services and development company specializing in Windows compatibility software. Users of Linux, BSD, OpenSolaris and Mac systems from time to time find themselves in the need to run specialized Windows software. The Bordeaux suite enables access to these programs and data in a seamless and low cost manner without requiring licensing of Microsoft Technology. The Bordeaux Group also provides migration services and support for alternative operating systems specializing in Windows compatibility.

There is a multitude of software developed only for the Windows operating system and even when software vendors port their applications to another platform, generally it lacks features that the Windows version contains. The only solution these developers face is to have access to both systems for testing which leads to increased infrastructure demands, and wasted project resources. If you are vendor interested in supporting your application on Linux, BSD, Solaris or Mac OS X or a software user that needs to run a Windows application on Linux, BSD, OpenSolaris or Mac OS X we can help.

CAD program is the show-stopper

In reply to Is there any way to get windows programs to run on ubuntu?

Most CAD programs are very resource hungry, so running it in a virtual machine would probably not work well. CAD programs typically need to interact ‘intimately’ with the video adapter, and an ’emulated’ adapter in a VM may just not work.

An accounting app would be no big deal, most likely.

For one app, which is a security-camera viewer app, I run the Windows application on a Windows PC back in the server room and use the VNC viewer app in Ubuntu to view the output on the screen. It actually works better this way in terms of speed and stability.

VNC and Ultra-VNC are VERY stable, very fast, and in full-screen mode you really cannot tell that you are running it remotely.

This question sounds very familiar…

In reply to Is there any way to get windows programs to run on ubuntu?

Here we run Ubuntu as the primary OS. For Windows only programs we have installed VirtualBox for Ubuntu (the PUEL version which is a free download from the Oracle website, not the open source version which lacks USB support). With a dual core microprocessor running at 1.6 GHz this installation requires at least 2 GB of system RAM to run Windows XP at less than native speed). Of course, you need a copy of Windows to install onto Virtualbox.

An alternative is to dual boot Linux and Windows, but you lack the ability to run both OS’s simultaneosly which includes sharing files on the fly.

WINE will run a limited number of popular Windows applications only, but it runs these programs faster than then they run in a virtual machine.

Thank you, the USB support is good to know

In reply to This question sounds very familiar…

Hi, the usb support was an issue for me, I did not knwo about the option you mentioned.

thank you great info!!

Thank you all.

In reply to This question sounds very familiar…

Im goiing to give it a try tonight. Ill keep you posted.

did you get this working?

In reply to Thank you all.

hi

just curious if you got this working

I wondered the same…

In reply to did you get this working?

Did you try to virtualize Windows?

Nick, give a thumbs up to those who helped you

In reply to Is there any way to get windows programs to run on ubuntu?

Hi,

just to give recognition give those who gave helpful information a thumbs up.

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