Window$ to Linux guide -- with virtualbox to run Window$ appsseamlessly (wow!)
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From: Jasen Betts on 24 Dec 2009 05:13 On 2009-12-23, RodMcKay <NoJunkMail(a)No.com> wrote: > I'd heard of virtualbox during all this change-over period but just > stumbled upon what might be a good guide: > http://lifehacker.com/367714/run-windows-apps-seamlessly-inside-linux > > It's come at a timely moment since in last few days, I've become > dismayed at how much I'd be "giving up" re Window$ apps by switching > to Linux since I kept coming across an app that I'm dependent on that > I had no Linux equivalent for. I'm a very fussy user, admittedly, and > have to have apps that do the job yet also work efficiently and well. > It isn't till you're taking a step that you realize how entrenched > something like the base OS really is. I envisaged having to jump back > and forth between OSs during each session and wasn't looking forward > to that. > > But just how good is this virtualization solution, anyone know? > > Until some of the apps that have taken me years to find, get ported to > Linux, this may be the path I'll have to go. But does anyone have > experience with doing this yet? > > And what are the security issues? I know viruses aren't common in > Linux, for all the stated reasons, but if we're running Window$ apps > even in a virtual environment, that's going to increase our risks. > What would one be able to do to mitigate those risks? Are there > really no antivirus apps out there for Linux? there are several antivirus apps for Linux, IIRC Trend, Symantec, and F-prot all make linux versions (which mainly detect windows viruses) one thing to do is overlaid incremental backups (a common trick using rsync and hard links) and to store their documents on a different partition to their applications, that makes cleaning up after an infection much easier, --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news(a)netfront.net ---
From: Jasen Betts on 24 Dec 2009 05:23 On 2009-12-23, VWWall <vwall(a)large.invalid> wrote: > John Hasler wrote: >> RodMcKay wrote: >>> ...I kept coming across an app that I'm dependent on that I had no >>> Linux equivalent for. >> >> Quit thinking in terms of apps and equivalents and start thinking in >> terms of problems and solutions. > > Problem: Filing my tax returns every year. > > Solution: TurboTax or TaxCut (runs only on Win.) > > Anybody know of "solutions" that run on Linux? why do you need specialised software? gnumeric is a very good spreadsheet. otoh all I really needed was tapecalc. most simple applications work fine under wine. --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news(a)netfront.net ---
From: J.O. Aho on 24 Dec 2009 07:23 Aragorn wrote: > On Wednesday 23 December 2009 13:38 in alt.os.linux, somebody > identifying as J.O. Aho wrote... > >> RodMcKay wrote: >> >>> And what are the security issues? I know viruses aren't common in >>> Linux, for all the stated reasons, but if we're running Window$ apps >>> even in a virtual environment, that's going to increase our risks. >> To minimize risk with standard viruse causing havoc in your Linux, >> [...] > > Windows viruses cannot wreak havoc in GNU/Linux. They are totally > oblivious of the UNIX environment, just as DOS is totally oblivious of > an UltraSPARC processor. ;-) > The virus won't spread on the Linux side, but if it attaches itself to random files, it may corrupt the Linux files and if doing it like many microsoft users seems to like to do, share the whole system as root, then you can suddenly have a broken glibc and how well will your system run then. -- //Aho
From: TJ on 26 Dec 2009 09:07 ray wrote: > On Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:09:49 -0500, RodMcKay wrote: > >> I'd heard of virtualbox during all this change-over period but just >> stumbled upon what might be a good guide: >> http://lifehacker.com/367714/run-windows-apps-seamlessly-inside-linux >> >> It's come at a timely moment since in last few days, I've become >> dismayed at how much I'd be "giving up" re Window$ apps by switching to >> Linux since I kept coming across an app that I'm dependent on that I had >> no Linux equivalent for. I'm a very fussy user, admittedly, and have to >> have apps that do the job yet also work efficiently and well. It isn't >> till you're taking a step that you realize how entrenched something like >> the base OS really is. I envisaged having to jump back and forth >> between OSs during each session and wasn't looking forward to that. >> >> But just how good is this virtualization solution, anyone know? > > What do you want to know about it? You have an instance of MS win running > in a virtual machine. The open source virtualbox has some limitations - > mostly, as I recall, in the area of USB peripherals. > >> Until some of the apps that have taken me years to find, get ported to >> Linux, this may be the path I'll have to go. But does anyone have >> experience with doing this yet? > > How would you like to name some of those apps? I've found that there are > very few things that most people use which don't have Linux equivalents. > Some of the remainders will run on Linux via WINE. > Most likely, the OP either hasn't found the equivalents yet, or he finds them unacceptable because they aren't clones of what he wants or what he's used to. It's also possible that he needs the capability of using his old data, and it's saved in some mysterious Microsoft format. And it's also possible that while there may be an equivalent, the transformation curve is just too long (notice I did NOT say "too steep") for the amount he uses the app. Take me for an example. Back in the day, I used to use MS Publisher 98 quite often, and it was an important part of my business. Times change, and now I only use it three or four times a year - but I still have a library of .pub files in storage that are needed, with a minor change or two, in the course of my business. Scribus is the "equivalent" Linux DTP app, and I've read some good things about it. It would probably do the things I need to do with no problem. But it isn't Publisher, and it was never meant to be. It is different. The interface is different, and last time I looked it doesn't have the ability to use .pub files. In order for me to change to Scribus, I'd first have to learn how to use the program effectively, then re-create the Publisher files I still use and save them in Scribus format. That would take months of my precious free time, and it just isn't worth it to me for an app I use three or four times a year. Publisher 98 refuses to work properly with either wine or Crossover. So, because of that and a couple of other apps, I've run a dual-boot system with Mandrake/Mandriva and Windows 98SE for years. But the last time I re-installed Windows 98SE was more than five years ago, and it's getting very tired. It needs to be done again - you know how Windows is. So this time, I'm giving serious consideration to VirtualBox myself. TJ
From: ray on 26 Dec 2009 11:10
On Sat, 26 Dec 2009 09:07:30 -0500, TJ wrote: > ray wrote: >> On Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:09:49 -0500, RodMcKay wrote: >> >>> I'd heard of virtualbox during all this change-over period but just >>> stumbled upon what might be a good guide: >>> http://lifehacker.com/367714/run-windows-apps-seamlessly-inside-linux >>> >>> It's come at a timely moment since in last few days, I've become >>> dismayed at how much I'd be "giving up" re Window$ apps by switching >>> to Linux since I kept coming across an app that I'm dependent on that >>> I had no Linux equivalent for. I'm a very fussy user, admittedly, and >>> have to have apps that do the job yet also work efficiently and well. >>> It isn't till you're taking a step that you realize how entrenched >>> something like the base OS really is. I envisaged having to jump back >>> and forth between OSs during each session and wasn't looking forward >>> to that. >>> >>> But just how good is this virtualization solution, anyone know? >> >> What do you want to know about it? You have an instance of MS win >> running in a virtual machine. The open source virtualbox has some >> limitations - mostly, as I recall, in the area of USB peripherals. >> >>> Until some of the apps that have taken me years to find, get ported to >>> Linux, this may be the path I'll have to go. But does anyone have >>> experience with doing this yet? >> >> How would you like to name some of those apps? I've found that there >> are very few things that most people use which don't have Linux >> equivalents. Some of the remainders will run on Linux via WINE. >> > Most likely, the OP either hasn't found the equivalents yet, or he finds > them unacceptable because they aren't clones of what he wants or what > he's used to. It's also possible that he needs the capability of using > his old data, and it's saved in some mysterious Microsoft format. And > it's also possible that while there may be an equivalent, the > transformation curve is just too long (notice I did NOT say "too steep") > for the amount he uses the app. That's very possible. In my experience, it's most likely that he simply has not tried the right one yet. Some folks think the 'have to have' quicken simply to balance a checkbook - I've found gnucash to be a perfectly acceptable alternative. Unless the OP gives an idea of which apps he 'has to run on MS' it's pretty difficult to assess whether or not that is actually the case. He may simply not have looked in the right places yet. > > Take me for an example. Back in the day, I used to use MS Publisher 98 > quite often, and it was an important part of my business. Times change, > and now I only use it three or four times a year - but I still have a > library of .pub files in storage that are needed, with a minor change or > two, in the course of my business. > > Scribus is the "equivalent" Linux DTP app, and I've read some good > things about it. It would probably do the things I need to do with no > problem. But it isn't Publisher, and it was never meant to be. It is > different. The interface is different, and last time I looked it doesn't > have the ability to use .pub files. In order for me to change to > Scribus, I'd first have to learn how to use the program effectively, > then re-create the Publisher files I still use and save them in Scribus > format. That would take months of my precious free time, and it just > isn't worth it to me for an app I use three or four times a year. I've not dealt with scribus or MS publisher, but it's possible publisher will export in a format scribus can accept. If you only use it three or four times a year to make minor changes, I would think the time to learn it would be minimal. I find that for programs I use that infrequently, I usually have to 'relearn' it every time I run it anyway. > > Publisher 98 refuses to work properly with either wine or Crossover. So, > because of that and a couple of other apps, I've run a dual-boot system > with Mandrake/Mandriva and Windows 98SE for years. But the last time I > re-installed Windows 98SE was more than five years ago, and it's getting > very tired. It needs to be done again - you know how Windows is. So this > time, I'm giving serious consideration to VirtualBox myself. > > TJ That's fine - but in your position, I'd certainly expend a little effort to see if those publisher files could not be converted to something more compatible with the rest of the world. There are several online services (some free or at least with free trials) that will do a conversion and send you the result. Again, that's one example. You certainly have a valid point - and I would certainly explore data transfer options. But the OP has given no indication at all of what his requirements are. I'd venture a guess that at least 50% of his needs could be met with appropriate equivalents. |