Linux software compatibility.

[skirtboy]

I'm considering replacing windows XP with linux on my laptop. While roughly 60% of the essential software on it is open source, and thus natively available in linux (suh as firefox and my rougelike games), I still run a number of commercial programs for which Linux versions are not available. I know that software like WINE prvides some support, but I don't know where to check if specific software will work.

I use the laptop primarily for portable internet use, but I play a great many games on it as well. My emulator software, rougelikes, and office programs will migrate without a hitch, but my commercial games, particularly those that I use for LAN parties, are going to be more of a problem. Where can I find out what WIndows apps work well on linux, and if you can tell me about a few specific apps, that would be great.

THese are the critical apps:
Command and Conquer: The first decade (all games)
Red Faction
Cossacks: Back to War
Empire Earth: The art of conquest
Dawn Of War: Soulstorm

I can use a virtual machine for most of my other needs.
I have an HP dv1000, and I'm planning on installing Ubuntu.

 

[e]

Transgaming should allow you to run most Windows games seamlessly on a Linux or Mac machine. It's commercial software though, so it depends on whether the above games work for WINE or not. It's 45 USD a year, so it depends on your budget. Some of these games might work with WINE, and beware, some might not work with Cedega (Transgaming's product), so you might want to check out their database first.

Although what I usually do is install VirtualBox (or your favorite virtualization program) and run a windows machine inside exclusively for gaming or special apps. It's near seamless anyway.

 

[skirtboy]

And how, exactly am I to run Direct3d games in an environment that has only a VESA card?

 

[e]

That's the beauty of Linux; you figure it out by yourself :thumb:

Jokes aside, you have several options offered to you so pick whichever fits your needs. Personally I'd go with virtualization (which shouldn't be any different from running Windows except with a slight overhead, but if you're laptop is good it shouldn't pose any problem).

 

[skirtboy]

Let me put it this way. several of the apps I mentioned use 3d accelerator cards of the thirty virtualization software approaches I've looked at, NOT A SINGLE ONE EITHER EMULATES A 3D CARD OR ALLOWS YOU TO USE THE ONE IN YOUR COMPUTER (caps for emphasis, not screaming). If you know of one that does, please inform me.

 

[e]

http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/2940

It looks like VirtualBox supports OpenGL and is planning on using Wine3D (which is a wrapper around Direct3D for OpenGL and thus emulates Direct3D), a technique used by Parallels (which is the Mac virtualization software, one which supports 3d acceleration), so it should come soon.

You might also want to look at VMGL (http://sysweb.cs.toronto.edu/projects/7)

 

[skirtboy]

I've got Virtual box right now. The openGl support is rudimentary at best.

 

[Tohsaka]

Pick up a copy of CrossOver Games: http://www.codeweavers.com/

The next version of CrossOver Games is adding better Steam Support, but even Half-Life 2 will run on this guy. (Did I mention that Guild Wars runs great, but lacks Anti-Aliasing?)

 

[skirtboy]

I've looked at that, but it seems more oriented toward the more mainstream games, and several of the titles I'm interested in are more obscure, and some have compat. issues with XP.