I've been using PCLinuxOs for a year now and like it. I can do everything that I use my computer for in Linux now. The problem I have is that my wife has several programs for Windows that I can't get to work in Linux. Does anyone know of a program that will run Windows programs in Linux? I tried Wine but I can't get it to do anything, I can't even configure it. If I can get these programs to run in Linux I can get rid of Windows. Can anybody hekp?
Thanks Steve

Which programs are you trying to run? Have you looked in the WineHQ database to see if they can be run?
Did you try running winecfg?

Most problems come from dlls. Try running your program and seeing what error messages you get from dlls, then add the program in winecfg and set the dll to be native or built-in to see if that solves the problem. You can also download dlls for free from web (google is good) and install in your ~/.wine/drive_c/windows/system(32) folder.

There was an Intel binary interface called Linux ABI that emulated windows to a windows executable that became a kernel module; it was being redacted from RedHat, methinks. You might find it in your non-proprietary version.

It's generally a good idea to tell us exactly what the problems were....

You might want to look at CrossoverLinux (Codeweavers). If is based on WINE and is a bit more user-friendly.

Use VMware Server to create a virtual machine to run Windows. Then while your wife is using Windows programs, create similar programs for Linux or find them.

Try find the alternative using the following link.

Open Source Alternative - http://osalt.com/

Use VMware Server to create a virtual machine to run Windows. Then while your wife is using Windows programs, create similar programs for Linux or find them.

Try find the alternative using the following link.

Open Source Alternative - http://osalt.com/

This is true, but wine will be faster than booting up a vm woudln't it? I use vm as a last resort if wine doesn't work. Better to get wine running imo.

Just my 2 pennies worth.

*Edit: actually better to find linux alternatives but we don't know which programs and what errors yet...

The programs my wife runs are all games. The list follows;
Sierra Card Games
Sierra Board Games
Pop Cap Bejeweled Deluxe 2
Pop Cap Zuma Deluxe
Mumbo Jumbo Mah Jong Quest

As you might expect none of there are listed in the Wine list of compatable programs.

Problem with running Wine;

Click on icon to configure and nothing happens.
Type in ~/.winecfg and nothing happens.
Remove and re-install and the same thing - nothing happens.

Basically I can't do anything with it.

It's not '~/.winecfg' it's just 'winecfg'

I just tried one of the games, Pop Cap Zuma Deluxe,
and it worked pretty well.

Download the Zuma installer, right on it, and choose Run With Wine.
It will create an icon on the desktop and another
one inside the Applications / Wine / Programs / PopCap Games
menu. Doubleclicking on the desktop icon or clicking on
the one inside Applications will start the game.

At least, it did on my Ubuntu Dapper system.
I have wine-0.9.49 installed.

What distro and what version of wine do you have,
and where did you get wine?

Ok. I'm running Wine version 0.9.50
I tried again and got the configuration to run. I loaded Zuma and it works ok though the first level then stalls and runs very, very slow. Sound is okay just the graphics are slow. I'm going to try some of the other programs. Any ideas on why the graphics slow down so bad?

HI, this is my first post so I hope I'm in the right place. I have been using Win4LinPro for a while now and it has run all Win 98SE programs that I have tried. I run TurboCad and Family treemaker all the time. Win4LinPro is available from a number of places but I got mine from Virtual Bridges Inc..You can contact them at 512-330-7979 or EMail Teresa Burnett (Sales Support) at tburnett@v-bridges.com. It is a little klunky but works ok. It costs $49.95 and you must have a New machine installation of windows XP to create the virtual windows machine in Linux. Teresa Burnett is very accomodating about answering questions. I have installed it into every distribution of Linux that I have tried, except Linspire. They sell their version for $79.95 and have told me that I cannot install my version (4.5) into their distribution. I am currently using it in Ubuntu 7.10 without a problem. I hope this helps you.

If I read it correctly, Win4Lin is VM software for running Windows on Linux. That's not the function of WINE, Crossover, etc.--they are for running Windows software on Linux.

There are lots of free VM (Virtual Machine) packages, so I'm not sure of the benefit of a paid one.

I agree with you about the value of paying for a program when the same thing can be done free. I was new to Linux and needed something right away to be able to run my legacy windows programs. When I get the time and a little more knowledgeble about Linux I will look for the free stuff.
Thanks.

See if there's a package for wine in yor distro then have a look in the apps database at winehq http://www.winehq.org/