[Wine] Tell me the truth about WINE

[Ham Pastrami]

I'm an avid gamer, I play all kinds of games and a wide variety of specific
titles, be they on the A-list or B-list. How realistic would it be for a
person like me to rely solely on WINE for PC gaming? I understand that the
pace with which WINE can catch up is relatively quick (a few months), but a
few months is still a long time to wait if I'm itching to get started on a
new release. I know there are ways to hedge the bet, like keeping a dual
boot option for Windows, but this to me is self-defeating since my entire
purpose is to get rid of and avoid having to use Windows in the first place.
I'm also just not a big fan of having two operating systems, since one could
really do all the stuff that I need. The only question is if Linux/WINE can
be that OS. The way I see it is this: for all things outside of gaming,
Linux can serve my needs. So can Windows. But when it comes to gaming, only
Windows seems to be functionally complete. If I have to install Windows
*anyway*, I might as well use it for everything instead of having to reboot
every time I feel like playing a game. Realistically, can Linux/WINE replace
Windows for a gamer?

The question is especially poignant here and now, with Vista on the horizon
and DX10 compatibility forcing Windows users to upgrade (for the record, I'm
still on 2k by choice, and have no desire to continue using Windows as it
becomes more invasive with regard to WGA, DRM, product activation and the
like.) I would like an honest assessment of what gaming would be like if I
made the jump to Linux (or rather, didn't make the jump to Vista) when DX10
games start rolling around. Is WINE robust enough that it would make a dual
boot of Vista unnecessary?