newbie: WINE / Windows / Office Question

[Stuart Blake Tener]

lawson_whitney at juno.com wrote in message news:<20011130.195615.134657512.5.lawson_whitney at juno.com>...
> On 30 Nov 2001, Stuart Blake Tener wrote:
> 
> > WINE users:
> >
> > Hi, I am new to wine, and am getting ready to try to test it and get
> > started.
> > These questions may seem basic, but any assistance would be well
> > appreciated.
> >
> > a) What configuration file (basic or standard) do I need to bring it
> > up?
> 
> I don't understand the question.  each wine user needs a configuration
> file ~/.wine/config to tell wine how it is to behave when run for that
> user.

Well, I am sorry you have trouble understanding the basic question,
but perhaps I can state what I am looking for in a different way. Most
software packages have some sort of standard or basic configuration
file, which is used with them. Since Mandrake comes with the package
installed already, I cannot locate it, and was looking for an example
of a file with most things in it I would need. Sorry if I was unclear,
hopefully this will clarify it for you.


> >
> > b) I have Mandrake 8.1, and I typed "wine" and got a response back
> > about command line options, so I beleive it to be installed, any idea
> > what Mandrake RPMs I need to be assured are there for it to work?
> 
> The wine rpm that came with Mandrake 7.2 was missing regapi and
> winedefault.reg, which are essential to normal working of wine.
> I don't know it they have since gotten somebody who knows what it is
> doing to make their wine rpm's and I am not holding my breath until they
> do.  Generally, you will do better with wine if you get the source and
> build it yourself.  It has some nice tools to help you, but you must
> take responsibility to give it what it needs.  (a full set of software
> development tools and the -devel package for every library you  want it
> to use.)

Well I dont see the reason to sit and go through the whole trouble of
building a package, if it is supposed to be supplied and working
already. Since you dont know about Mandrake 8.1, and that IS what I
have (not 7.2), then perhaps some other Mandake 8.1 users will comment
on this. I am curious what the state of of the Wine RPM is that comes
with Mandrake 8.1.

> 
> > c) I have been told Wine works best with Windows "installed". I am
> 
> Who told you that?  I don't agree.

I read some postings indicating that using Windows DLLs would
implement more features (of the DLLs), and work better with their
software. Do a google search of "DLL WINDOWS WINE WORKS BETTER",
you'll find out whom said it.

> 
> > okay with installing windows, as my goal is to start off by keeping
> > everything in a Linux partitioin for now, and not needing to run two
> > different OSes at once.
> > Dependability is a must for me, as I use business applications for
> > business work. If I choose to have windows installed, must I make a
> 
> Then you don't want to use microsoft applications, either.

I dont care how much you or anyone wants to just bash microsoft
(personally I dont care for them), but I have customers whom demand
(and pay me) to connect and use their Microsoft based networks and
exchange servers. Thus, I am forced to use those applications,
including calendaring and other functions. So until such time as
Microsoft Outlook has been duplicated as a client for Exchange server
with a level of compatibility that approaches what Outlook does now,
or other Microsoft applications your arrogance as to the reality of
world is not going to be taken very seriously by anyone. Beleive me,
if there were a Linux version of Office which ran natively under
Linux, I would use it. However, I (and my clients) have PST files and
other Exchange Server specific things which must be leveraged. If you
tell me to tell my customers to get off Exchange Server, then you have
no clue as to how business works or what compells IT departments to do
things, no one will spend money on that level of retraining and
migration when everything for them works just fine.

The main point is this, I need to find a solution, not because I agree
with the choice, but because someone is paying me to find a solution
for the way they wish to continue doing business, not because I like
it or not.

I am in need of using Microsoft applications, I am trying to run them
under Linux if possible.

> 
> > seperate partition for it and such? or can I somehow run wine to
> > install Windows into a unix directory, and then use Wine and Windows
> > together from that point forward?
> 
> No, no, no.  Wine does _not_ run windows.  If you want something that
> runs windows, get vmware or win4lin, but be aware that these run windows
> - in a virtual machine, so it is maybe less generally harmful, but with
> all the bugs you have come to know and love.  Also slow.

Win4Lin maybe the solution. I dont like the VMware solutions for some
several reasons, mainly, I dont need Windows all the time, and would
rather to have all my Windows files in the same ReiserFS partition as
my Linux stuff.

The only draw back (for me right now) to Win4Lin is that it does not
run the new Microsoft OSes (which I presume it will soon), if it does
then I will use it. I am also watching BOCHS to see when and if it
will reliably run W2K or XP, but I feel they are a good year or two
away from a real business quality level of product.

> 
> Wine runs windows application programs.  It can install the more
> cooperative of these into a unix directory, and run them there.  I
> haven't gotten anything that uses the latest InstallSh**** to install
> yet, although there have been some reported successes.

Well, running the Windows applications without windows is quite
entriuging.


> >
> > d) how well does Quckbooks run under WINE?
> >
> > e) how well does Office 2000 run under WINE (Word, Excel, and Outlook
> > to be specific)?
> >
> We give you wine so you can have windows without microsoft, and what do
> you want to do with it?  Why, run microsoft applications, of course.
> Good luck.  Wine doesn't make any special effort to prevent this from
> working, but microsoft makes every effort it can think of to prevent it.
> The newer microsoft applications are booby-trapped against being run by
> any sane OS.

Then for the most part, WINE is of no use to at least the greater
segment of my customer base, whom have already committed much time,
training resources, and money to Microsoft software. That will not
change anytime soon, so they cannot use Linux for the moment then to
resolve this isssue.

Someone else also posted that WINE is ALPHA software, which even
absent all the issues contained herein above, is reason enough for me
not to recommend it to anyone.

A public domain version of something like Win4Lin which supports new
Microsoft OSes would be exactly what I am looking for.

Stuart
Beverly Hills, CA