Many people, when switching from Windows to Linux, wonder if the former can run programs on the latter. Yes, this is possible thanks to Wine. How to install and use it, we will consider.
General information
Before considering how to install Wine Linux, you need to know what it is. It should be noted that this is not an emulator, but a separate implementation of the Windows API. Thanks to this, the Linux project is unique and interesting for users of different systems.
Where can I run Wine? Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS, and other Linux systems, as well as Mac OS X and FreeBSD, are where this API can come in handy. True, many people are misled about the ease of transition between systems. Thus, they believe that it is enough to decide about Wine, how to install it, and then you can use various software that you are used to. But it's not that simple. In order to work with Wine, you need to get acquainted with its features, as well as be aware that many programs still experience instability.
Install the program
We have two main options:
- Use the repository. In this case, you do not need to do anything complicated. It is enough to give the command to install the program through the terminal and wait until this process is completed.
- Compile from source files. In this case, you should download the documents from the official website and unpack. Enable OpenGL support. Then we write the necessary build parameters in the line that starts with CONFARGS=. We get the dependencies and start building. We are waiting for this process to end.
The advantages of the first option include the fact that everything is already assembled, and you don't need to strain yourself when setting up the program. But there are also disadvantages: it will be impossible to apply a patch to improve the performance of any program. Also, some graphics cards may experience instability.
Now let's talk about the second option. Its advantages include the possibility of applying patches, as well as obtaining stable operation with different video card drivers. But even in this case there are disadvantages. So, the installation process will be relatively long (it depends on the power of the computer). There is also no menu, and everything has to be done through the console. Despite the complexity of the installation, experienced Linux users recommend using the second option because it gives a more efficient result.
Launch programs
So, we have already figured out what Wine is, how to install this application interface. Now let's look at how to run programs designed for Windows.
Initially, you can find test results for each specific application (with different system configurations) on specialized sites. There you can find recommendations for stable operation and much more. If the sites devoted to this topic have information about the quality of functioning or a simple program is installed, you can proceed to mount it on your computer. But if you need something serious and big, you need to turn to specialized literature. In general, to learn how to work well with Wine, how to install, know little.
