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5 Reasons Every Linux and Mac Fanboy Should Care About WINE

And no I’m not talking about the alcoholic drink.

When I first heard of Linux (I think it might have been RedHat Linux) I got the impression that it was this great new operating system that would run your Windows software. Finally, a Windows killer!

When I found out the truth, I was very disappointed. Unlike some Fanboys, I have to live in the real world. I build websites as part of my job and that requires testing. Unfortunately the only real testing that matter is IE on Windows. The other browsers are much easier to support and work with but most people use IE so it’s just a fact of life. Then I heard about WINE yesterday and got Windows software working on my Mac without buying or installing Windows. Why in the hell isn’t this thing getting more publicity?!!! That’s what promoted me to post this article. Support it if you can and spread the word. You’ll find the 5 reasons below:

1. Smash the anchor
Most people that like Linux or the Mac want to switch from Microsoft. But because they have to live in the real world like me, they usually have one or two applications they have to use at work that just won’t function without windows, so they stay due to their software anchor.

2. Get IE 6 on Linux or Mac
Okay I’m admittedly biased because I need this piece of crap for my work. But this is the one piece of software that has kept me from getting rid of Windows on my second machine. The only one! How sad is that for Linux? As proof, you’ll find a screen shot of IE 6 running on my OSX Mac below. I used Crossover Mac to do it for the time being. I’m now planning to convert the Windows machine to a Ubuntu box. Score one for the good guys thanks to WINE.

3. People will finally switch
You can argue about Linux being better than Windows until you’re blue in the face. People won’t switch if they can’t take their favourite games and apps with them. I don’t care if the Linux software is better or faster or whatever. People are still going to see it as trading their pork chop for a tofu burger. Don’t make them choose. Let them switch and then worry about the software. Isn’t the real goal to get people off of Windows first? I’d much rather argue with someone why Office is worse that OpenOffice instead of you should switch to Linux blah blah blah. That argument is dead as soon as people say they can’t abandon Windows because of work software. So give people what they want and what they need first and they will make the decision to switch because it’s just plain cheaper and better on Linux.

4. Business will switch
We all know that business is driven by the all mighty dollar. Codeweavers is one company that is helping business port their software over. If more people were behind WINE and ported even more software, the decision to switch to Linux would be a no-brainer. But you can’t expect a company to switch operating systems when it would mean changing their software and retraining. It’s just too costly.

5. Now is the time
Apple has Intel processors, there is no better time to help get people off of Microsoft. I for one am tired of arguing about what operating system is better or Gnome verses KDE and so on. It’s like two gnats fighting on an elephant’s ass. No matter how much Mac people and Linux people argue, whenever Microsoft farts, we have to care. Let’s drive some support to WINE and get the ball rolling.

How you can help
Spread the word or get involved. Tell people about this article, WINE, Codeweavers, Darwine or Fink.

I stumbled upon WINE by chance. If it took me time to find it, imagine the regular user that doesn’t surf technology blogs or computer news. We need to get the word out to more than just the tech community. Talk about it. Link to it. Volunteer or send WINE some cash.