I've used linux for years, but for some reason never got around to trying out WINE (the windows emulator, I was already well acquainted with the merlot/cabernet variety). Well, I just installed it and it is kick@$$.

I use a little windows program called "Loan & Mortgage 2" as part of a home based business. I originally set it up and used it on my wife's PC which runs XP. I was nervous about having these files on just one computer so I also set up the Loan & Mortgage program on a couple of notebook 'puters (using XP and 7) as well as a win2000 install on this, my linux computer. Then I downloaded and set up a useful little program called "Dropbox", it is a web based storage site that also stores and syncs files on whatever computers you add to your account. It is useful because I could use it to store and access my business files from any of the computers. Any files added or changed from any of the computers were automatically added or changed on all of them. Except my linux box. I had to reboot into win2000 to get to the files from this computer, a PITA fer shure.

WINE fixed that. I downloaded "Loan & Mortgage 2" from my linux box (Suse 11.1) and then installed the program using the WINE Installer. It worked flawlessly, even put an icon on my desktop. Then I downloaded "Dropbox" and installed it with WINE. I configured it for my account and voila, it synced with my stored files. Way cool. Incidentally, Dropbox does have a linux version, geared toward Ubuntu of course, with Suse it is easier to just use the windows version and WINE.

I love WINE. Too bad about my liver problem.

My computer does not crash very often but I'm not surprised when Wine is running. It's like a Replicator from StarTrek. You only fool with it when your desperate. If I was insane I would try every windows program and game on it that is made and post every problem I had with it on LQ. I'd bet that the moderators would ask you where you lived after the first post. I got one program to work with it and I consider myself lucky. It's really an interesting concept though.

So far I have not had any trouble with crashes or any weirdness. It has worked brilliantly for my purposes, although DropBox doesn't work fully. It does work though, and that is all I needed. I can access it. The Loan & Mortgage program works as well under Wine as it does in Windows, I just point it at the files stored in Dropbox and it works.

The thought did briefly occur to me that hey, I could download all kinds of Windows stuff and run it. But then sanity set in and and decided to quit while I'm ahead. Most of the stuff I do with a computer already has linux based software for it so no real need to use Wine for much.

Why don't you use the Linux-version of Dropbox?

I think that WINE should only be a last resort when you absolutely cannot figure out a Linux solution.

Libwine seems much more promissing.
More people (and devs) should make use libwine to make an easy win > lin port.
It keeps amazing me how much better it works.

+1 for this.

I needed WINE to run the loan and mortgage software. I know there are linux based programs to do the same thing, perhaps even better, but I needed to use the same software I use on several windows boxes so I could enter data into the same data base. By storing my data base in my dropbox folder I can change or enter data from any of the computers and it syncs with them all.

I used the windows version of dropbox because I am running Suse and the linux version of DropBox is geared toward Ubuntu and I think Fedora. I already had wine to run Loan & Mortgage2 so I used it to install DropBox. No problem, it works.

I really have to chime in as not thinking it as a self discipline issue or a disrespecting of Linux to use it. I see it as a opensource project that is meant to solve a problem. Linux is treated haphazardly and the learning of it is in a lot of ways non-intentional. If using Wine is indecent then every second that goes by with out reasonable documentation for example ;on the Make file/function,is murder. In this way Wine is a Linux solution.

Editted: The biggest market for Wine is games that are only available in an exe. format! Real life is entertaining enoungh for me so the best thing about WINE is what it brings to the developers. I would prefer that there were not any Windows cross over users because of games. Dual booting is the way to go anyways in my opinion.

BTW , WINE -W.ine I.s N.ot an E.mulator I don't know what it is myself but...

Or just write it in Qt in the first place!

I mostly meant rewriting existing win32 apps.
The people from CodeWeavers have written excellent howto's for this (with some google support).
The difference between using WINE and a native port using libwine is *huge*.

Thanks for that link, TobiSGD.

I plan to build a new computer within the next few months and will probably use Suse 11.3. I will use the linux version of Dropbox with it.

I like Dropbox. It is simple and uncluttered. What it does, it does very well. I also use SpiderOak, the Suse version, and like it also, although I use it for different purposes, it makes automatic online backup of files so easy even a neanderthal like me can do it.

Be careful with WINE, you don't want to become an alcoholic...

In all seriousness, you may ignore anyone who says WINE is a "last ditch effort" or anything of the sort. If it does what you want and does it well, use it as you please!