Comments on: Wine @ Work: Running MS Office and IE on Linux http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/ Open Source, Open Standards Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:28:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: hulksmashlinux http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5586 hulksmashlinux Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5586 You said - "Unfortunately, Outlook doesn’t work in Wine. Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Word all work to varying degrees."<br /> <br /> What an understatement. Why not just say it is very buggy.<br /> <br /> IEs4Linux on their site says "it is not for browsing" Meaning it doesn't work very well for general purpose use.<br /> <br /> Notepad works (yeah?) but even MS Money won't work. <br /> <br /> Dual booting and or Vmware / Virtualbox (I have to do both) are still the best options if you have MS apps that you like, prefer or are just superior to the Linux equivalents. You said – “Unfortunately, Outlook doesn’t work in Wine. Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Word all work to varying degrees.”

What an understatement. Why not just say it is very buggy.

IEs4Linux on their site says “it is not for browsing” Meaning it doesn’t work very well for general purpose use.

Notepad works (yeah?) but even MS Money won’t work.

Dual booting and or Vmware / Virtualbox (I have to do both) are still the best options if you have MS apps that you like, prefer or are just superior to the Linux equivalents.

]]> By: iansane http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5587 iansane Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5587 I have to agree from my experience as limited as it is, that a VM with windows is the best way to run Win apps.<br /> <br /> I was new to linux when I tried Wine. A few months and a new version of Ubuntu later, I tried it again with the same bad results. Nothing I tried to install would work right. My lack of understanding and not being able to just click on an exe and have it all work perfectly plus the need for Windows and lack of time to mess with Wine was enough motivation to install VMWare.<br /> <br /> I will admit though that I didn't try to research the problems or check out the list of supported apps before trying to install. I think Wine is like many things in Linux. To get the best performance or in some cases, any performance at all, you have to RTFM 2 or 3 times and then go ask for help on a forum. BTW, Most of the forums are really great.<br /> <br /> Having said that, Ubuntu is still far better in many areas than Windows in my opinion, So when I have time, I'll go RTFM again and give Wine another try.:-) I have to agree from my experience as limited as it is, that a VM with windows is the best way to run Win apps.

I was new to linux when I tried Wine. A few months and a new version of Ubuntu later, I tried it again with the same bad results. Nothing I tried to install would work right. My lack of understanding and not being able to just click on an exe and have it all work perfectly plus the need for Windows and lack of time to mess with Wine was enough motivation to install VMWare.

I will admit though that I didn’t try to research the problems or check out the list of supported apps before trying to install. I think Wine is like many things in Linux. To get the best performance or in some cases, any performance at all, you have to RTFM 2 or 3 times and then go ask for help on a forum. BTW, Most of the forums are really great.

Having said that, Ubuntu is still far better in many areas than Windows in my opinion, So when I have time, I’ll go RTFM again and give Wine another try.:-)

]]> By: shreedhan http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5588 shreedhan Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5588 Why would I want MS Office or IE on my Linux ?<br /> Open Office and Firefox are pretty good.<br /> I don't like touch of proprietary softwares in my open Linux. Why would I want MS Office or IE on my Linux ?
Open Office and Firefox are pretty good.
I don’t like touch of proprietary softwares in my open Linux.

]]> By: awc http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5589 awc Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5589 This was a great little tutorial on installing and using wine. Sometimes it's necessary to use wine for specific purposes, such as viewing a newly designed website in IE.<br /> <br /> However, wine does not work 100% and it does not run the one and only Windows app I needed, namely Quickbooks. In reality I have no need to run ANY other program as Linux offers everything I need to be 99.99999% functional.<br /> <br /> My solution was to buy some old used PC just for Quickbooks, which I turn on only a few times a month. This was a great little tutorial on installing and using wine. Sometimes it’s necessary to use wine for specific purposes, such as viewing a newly designed website in IE.

However, wine does not work 100% and it does not run the one and only Windows app I needed, namely Quickbooks. In reality I have no need to run ANY other program as Linux offers everything I need to be 99.99999% functional.

My solution was to buy some old used PC just for Quickbooks, which I turn on only a few times a month.

]]> By: vgiralt http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5590 vgiralt Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5590 For such sporadic use, there is no need to buy anything in any modern Linux, just try KVM, the Kernel Virtual Machine, and run the M$ crap inside a box, just like VMware, but without the proprietary flavor and the usual upgrade headaches of the proprietary modules it needs to run. For such sporadic use, there is no need to buy anything in any modern Linux, just try KVM, the Kernel Virtual Machine, and run the M$ crap inside a box, just like VMware, but without the proprietary flavor and the usual upgrade headaches of the proprietary modules it needs to run.

]]> By: angus77 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5591 angus77 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5591 Good God! why would you want to do this? Even back when I still used Windows, I used OOo and Firefox. Office and IE drove me nuts! Your suggesting I could run them even more buggily on Linux?!<br /> <br /> I don't even have Wine installed these days. Why would you seriously need it unless you're a gamer?<br /> <br /> I respect 15 years of hard work the Wine people have put into this, but I'd like to think it was for a better purpose than porting IE... Good God! why would you want to do this? Even back when I still used Windows, I used OOo and Firefox. Office and IE drove me nuts! Your suggesting I could run them even more buggily on Linux?!

I don’t even have Wine installed these days. Why would you seriously need it unless you’re a gamer?

I respect 15 years of hard work the Wine people have put into this, but I’d like to think it was for a better purpose than porting IE…

]]> By: us41 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5592 us41 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5592 Lame. Wine is a sort of poster-child application for everything that has ever turned off the general public from Linux as an operating system:<br /> <br /> * 10 year long pre-release period<br /> * ludicrous pre-release public testing period ends and it still doesn't really work well enough to rely upon professionally<br /> * World's most ubiquitous program (Outlook) not supported<br /> * World's 2nd most used program (Word) can't use it's most important and frequently called-upon feature (Spell Check)<br /> <br /> Wine also brings with it the culture of the 1990's Linux development world. It has an arrogant, nerdy name (if you say the word recursive around non-nerds, they will furrow their brows and look at you like you have a second head). The name is arrogant because the name itself tries to force the user to refer to the program "properly", because programmer nerds always have to be right and don't care about getting along with people.<br /> <br /> Wine is built by the wrong people with the wrong personalities using the wrong mission the goals of which are not accomplished. <br /> <br /> Scrap it. Let a newer, younger group of people without chips on their shoulders who are more secure with themselves and their technological interest start over from scratch and reduce the scope so they can actually finish and succeed in a short period of time.<br /> <br /> "But it's free!" <br /> <br /> And worth every penny I paid for it. Lame. Wine is a sort of poster-child application for everything that has ever turned off the general public from Linux as an operating system:

* 10 year long pre-release period
* ludicrous pre-release public testing period ends and it still doesn’t really work well enough to rely upon professionally
* World’s most ubiquitous program (Outlook) not supported
* World’s 2nd most used program (Word) can’t use it’s most important and frequently called-upon feature (Spell Check)

Wine also brings with it the culture of the 1990′s Linux development world. It has an arrogant, nerdy name (if you say the word recursive around non-nerds, they will furrow their brows and look at you like you have a second head). The name is arrogant because the name itself tries to force the user to refer to the program “properly”, because programmer nerds always have to be right and don’t care about getting along with people.

Wine is built by the wrong people with the wrong personalities using the wrong mission the goals of which are not accomplished.

Scrap it. Let a newer, younger group of people without chips on their shoulders who are more secure with themselves and their technological interest start over from scratch and reduce the scope so they can actually finish and succeed in a short period of time.

“But it’s free!”

And worth every penny I paid for it.

]]> By: bd6627 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5593 bd6627 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5593 Well, I use wine to run one program. Esword and it works great. I agree that there is no need for IE or MS Office. I use firefox, which works for most things, and Open Office. Well, I use wine to run one program. Esword and it works great. I agree that there is no need for IE or MS Office. I use firefox, which works for most things, and Open Office.

]]> By: hanzajohn http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5594 hanzajohn Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5594 Ok,guys. I'm a linux lover also. But I've started learn computers with MS. I don't think you should run (- yet ) windows application on Linux . Just try Windows. You'll love what Office 2007 can do on Vista. Belive me developers - it reduce your time of coding and fullfill your wishes - more time for learning newer things. Ok,guys. I’m a linux lover also. But I’ve started learn computers with MS. I don’t think you should run (- yet ) windows application on Linux . Just try Windows. You’ll love what Office 2007 can do on Vista. Belive me developers – it reduce your time of coding and fullfill your wishes – more time for learning newer things.

]]> By: joe1974 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5595 joe1974 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5595 I have read a few comments that "drop the oranges out of the tub". Using Wine is not one of my best options, but, why should I use MS Office and IE for? Maybe, and only MAYBE if I was doing some development stuff right in Wine.<br /> <br /> There are better applications running on my Red Hat based Fedora 9 installation. No need to name them, they're open and libres. Why should I pay for a MS product I can't even contribute to?<br /> <br /> Greetings. I have read a few comments that “drop the oranges out of the tub”. Using Wine is not one of my best options, but, why should I use MS Office and IE for? Maybe, and only MAYBE if I was doing some development stuff right in Wine.

There are better applications running on my Red Hat based Fedora 9 installation. No need to name them, they’re open and libres. Why should I pay for a MS product I can’t even contribute to?

Greetings.

]]> By: funkym0nk3y http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5596 funkym0nk3y Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5596 IE for compatibility testings with a developments. :) IE for compatibility testings with a developments. :)

]]> By: munguia.carlos http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5597 munguia.carlos Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5597 Sometimes in the enterprice and for some intranet websites is necesary run IE and Win-Office , Wine is a great tool , I prefered firefox and oOo , but for compatibility is necesary propietary appliction and wine is my prefered tool Sometimes in the enterprice and for some intranet websites is necesary run IE and Win-Office , Wine is a great tool , I prefered firefox and oOo , but for compatibility is necesary propietary appliction and wine is my prefered tool

]]> By: achusxmachina http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5598 achusxmachina Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5598 I am very happy to see wine supporting loads of M$ apps. Personally I use it to run Corel Draw which runs perfectly. There are a few apps linux does not have a proper replacement for:<br /> - DTP Software: Scribus is fine but it has some drawbacks in usability<br /> - Visio: Kivio and OODraw are nowhere near as powerful<br /> A huge Problem with running MS Office is that you do not get any updates. the MS update tool with its activex applet and Genuine Advantage blabla will never run on linux. That will never make it into enterprise deployments I am very happy to see wine supporting loads of M$ apps. Personally I use it to run Corel Draw which runs perfectly. There are a few apps linux does not have a proper replacement for:
- DTP Software: Scribus is fine but it has some drawbacks in usability
- Visio: Kivio and OODraw are nowhere near as powerful
A huge Problem with running MS Office is that you do not get any updates. the MS update tool with its activex applet and Genuine Advantage blabla will never run on linux. That will never make it into enterprise deployments

]]> By: chas_martel http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5599 chas_martel Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5599 Some of us have to work with other people around the world<br /> and Excel is the only game in town. Have you ever<br /> created a "complex" spreadsheet that works in Excel<br /> AND Calc? They are not compatible and 99.99999% of the<br /> world uses Excel, so there you have it, there is <br /> no choice. MS wins in the de facto sense of the word win. Some of us have to work with other people around the world
and Excel is the only game in town. Have you ever
created a “complex” spreadsheet that works in Excel
AND Calc? They are not compatible and 99.99999% of the
world uses Excel, so there you have it, there is
no choice. MS wins in the de facto sense of the word win.

]]> By: mikemeek http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5600 mikemeek Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5600 If it's scope is to run every Windows program ever written, then Wine's mission rings of Dan Akroyd's 'Every Record Ever Recorded' sales pitch on Saturday Night Live. Guys, even the OS for which the programs were INTENDED doesn't properly run every application.<br /> <br /> On the other hand, Wine is a perfect fit for organizations that are willing to switch office and email suites, but have an application or two written for M$ that are must-haves (ours is a document imaging package). Wine is a viable alternative to a second box or VM solution to run such applications. If it’s scope is to run every Windows program ever written, then Wine’s mission rings of Dan Akroyd’s ‘Every Record Ever Recorded’ sales pitch on Saturday Night Live. Guys, even the OS for which the programs were INTENDED doesn’t properly run every application.

On the other hand, Wine is a perfect fit for organizations that are willing to switch office and email suites, but have an application or two written for M$ that are must-haves (ours is a document imaging package). Wine is a viable alternative to a second box or VM solution to run such applications.

]]> By: slalji http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5601 slalji Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5601 I have a windows app called OpenBugs. I would like it to run using jobs, therefore would require wine to work without its graphical user interface. Is there a way to set wine to be command based only? I have a windows app called OpenBugs. I would like it to run using jobs, therefore would require wine to work without its graphical user interface. Is there a way to set wine to be command based only?

]]> By: dvainsencher http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5602 dvainsencher Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5602 Do you code in Office 2007?<br /> Sorry, but my experience shows exactly the opposite. I became more productive in Linux and I could learn much more with the thousands of great tools, languages, etc, and with the collaborative and knowledge oriented culture that follows open source world. Believe me. ;-) Do you code in Office 2007?
Sorry, but my experience shows exactly the opposite. I became more productive in Linux and I could learn much more with the thousands of great tools, languages, etc, and with the collaborative and knowledge oriented culture that follows open source world. Believe me. ;-)

]]> By: khess http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5603 khess Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5603 Well, the main point of Wine for me in the article is to install familiar apps for people who are converting to Linux. It's sometimes hard to leave the old stuff behind. Believe me, when I converted people off of WordStar and WordPerfect to MS Word, it was the same thing. People use what they're comfortable with--this is why we need apps that are similar enough to gather support and adoption. OO.o and FireFox are similar enough for conversion.<br /> <br /> You wouldn't believe, though, how many times I had to hear "But in WordPerfect, we could do X." Yeah? Really? Get over it. You're boss says to use Word. It will have to be the same with OO.o, Linux, or any app. Well, the main point of Wine for me in the article is to install familiar apps for people who are converting to Linux. It’s sometimes hard to leave the old stuff behind. Believe me, when I converted people off of WordStar and WordPerfect to MS Word, it was the same thing. People use what they’re comfortable with–this is why we need apps that are similar enough to gather support and adoption. OO.o and FireFox are similar enough for conversion.

You wouldn’t believe, though, how many times I had to hear “But in WordPerfect, we could do X.” Yeah? Really? Get over it. You’re boss says to use Word. It will have to be the same with OO.o, Linux, or any app.

]]> By: patrickmoroney http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5604 patrickmoroney Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5604 I use Debian 2.6.25-2-686 Lenny with WindowMaker, and while Wine to installed, no Wine application was available in my WindowMaker menus. I tried adding ./usr/bin/wine to a menu, but only winecfg yielded the old style interface... Frustrating.. I use Debian 2.6.25-2-686 Lenny with WindowMaker, and while Wine to installed, no Wine application was available in my WindowMaker menus. I tried adding ./usr/bin/wine to a menu, but only winecfg yielded the old style interface… Frustrating..

]]> By: ben2talk http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5605 ben2talk Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6539/#comment-5605 I installed Sun's new Virtualbox 2.0 - and now can seamlessly run MS office 2007, or any other program i want to run in any operating system 'seamlessly' - though it generallly works nicely running full screen in it's own workspace.<br /> <br /> With WINE it's more a matter of 'what can I use with this?'<br /> <br /> I prefer 'I want to use ACDSee Pro2 because it's better than anything in linux - where's the tool to do that?'<br /> <br /> My printer works very nicely with Windows, not with lnux - so Virtualbox handles my backend. There's no point hiding, linux can't match the combination of windows and all the software developers working together. I installed Sun’s new Virtualbox 2.0 – and now can seamlessly run MS office 2007, or any other program i want to run in any operating system ‘seamlessly’ – though it generallly works nicely running full screen in it’s own workspace.

With WINE it’s more a matter of ‘what can I use with this?’

I prefer ‘I want to use ACDSee Pro2 because it’s better than anything in linux – where’s the tool to do that?’

My printer works very nicely with Windows, not with lnux – so Virtualbox handles my backend. There’s no point hiding, linux can’t match the combination of windows and all the software developers working together.

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