Hello,
I am looking into using Wine as an alternative means of running some old software for win95 that is used at my work. The software we currently use is limited to win95 and uses the serial port for RS232 communication. I have not attempted to do this before and just looking for some suggestions or insights that may help me in my endeavors. I will probably be working with an older version of Slackware (will probably start around 9 and go from there), due to the hardware I will be attempting to use is much older and I will not need anything with a newer kernel. If I am successful or not on the older hardware, I will still be looking to try newer hardware and try to setup a usb-serial adapter as well. So any insights, suggestions, or words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

At this point, there's nothing we can really tell you...we don't know exactly what Linux you're going to run, on what kind of hardware, or what the name of that old Win95 software is.

A few things come to mind:

• You mention it's for your job...this simplifies things, since you then say "This is too old and we can't run it...we have to buy a new version or a new program". Kludging something together like this is only putting a VERY temporary (and UNSTABLE) band-aid on a bigger problem. Best to address it correctly.
• If you're using Wine, there is NO NEED to run old hardware or old Linux, since any tests you do will give you absolutely INVALID RESULTS. If you do load things on an old box, with old Linux/Wine and it does work, it may NOT if you migrate things forward. Or, it might NOT work at all...until you actually get the LATEST versions running. Start with a current configuration...it'll make loading easier, and installing software will be easier too, since you'll be able to FIND it.
• A USB-Serial adapter doesn't really require any 'setup'...you just plug it in. The device will show up as /dev/ttyUSBxx...that's it. Set up whatever program you want to use it.
• Look for a program that uses a CURRENT operating system to replace that old one.
• If this software is locked into Windows, and it's for your job, do yourself a favor...use Windows for it. This isn't about Linux vs. Windows, but about doing your job and stability. The program was designed for Windows, and running it on something else is only going to make it slow, hard to maintain, and unstable. This is your company and work...use the right tool for the job.

I agree 100%. That being said the company that made the equipment and the software for the equipment no longer exist, it is for Smart Line Scan Cameras (NANOdim software). The equipment that is needing the support is a small piece in a very large pie, and the company I work for is in denial it seems when upgrading is ever mentioned. And finally, Yes this is just a band aid. Our current laptop used is in poor poor shape and my self using linux at home was looking for a way it might prove helpful at work. I am looking for a way to use the software on newer laptops. I will have more to post on linux version and wine version as I really get started on this project.

Well, I've dealt with the company-in-denial problem before, too. There are two ways that are most expedient:

• Tell them after you've 'investigated' things (usually over pints at lunch), that it just won't work, and they HAVE to upgrade
• Tell them it WILL work...but you need some pricey hardware/software to MAKE it work...which, coincidentally, costs more than the upgrade, and will get you a nice new desktop/laptop/phone/sauna for your office too.

Either way, problem solved. I'd love to say I'm kidding, but I'm not, really.

If you really do offer them a 'free' solution, it'll be YOUR problem, and YOU will own the entire 'very large pie' if anything goes wrong, so be prepared for those nice 24/7 calls when things don't work, and be sure to take your phone on vacation, too. If your company doesn't want to spend money to be IN business, they'll soon be OUT of business...keeping a current, stable environment for pieces of equipment that are MANDATORY to the operation of the business isn't a waste, and nickle-and-diming things there is indicative of bigger problems at the company. Polish your resume up and start looking, if that's the case...I've been down that road several times, and it never ends well.

For example: about ten years ago, there was a company who had a VERY old system running HP/UX 10...which was unsupported THEN, and the hardware wasn't even being sold...yet that system generated $2 million a month for the company. I told them that they had ONE system doing this job, and we couldn't even repair it if it broke, and that TWO new systems with current software was $17k. They just about coughed up their lungs, and were adamant that they couldn't afford it. Fast forward six months to when the ancient disk array finally died, and they lost three weeks worth of data, and couldn't process anything. Their solution: look on eBay for old parts, and quick! (seriously) I told them no, called the vendor, and had two new systems rush shipped to us, on a three-month lease. Back up and processing in under a day after receiving them....and processes that took 45 minutes before now took less than five. Needless to say, they went ahead and bought the new systems, and the jackass who ran that department was kicked to the curb, since the downtime cost them more than $200k. It wasn't bad for me, since I was a consultant...so I didn't deal with the late nights and eBay fiasco, but if I had worked there, I would have...and that's the position you're in.

To me, my job is to do right by the COMPANY...and that means doing what's RIGHT, not what they want to hear. Band-aids are only good for short-term...and it sounds like you're past that already. Time for them to suck it up and move forward, or to lock the doors and go home.

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Try http://www.reactos.org/ too.

The commercial source of wine is a choice also. Crossover.


Some of these apps may work in dosbox.


You might be able to still use a virtual machine.

if you are going to take the responsibility then
look into using OpenCV and VTK

this software DOSE support line scan ( push broom) cameras
but YOU need to write the code .

If you look at the Wine configuration tool, it allows you to specify which version of Windows to emulate: right back to 3.0! But I wouldn't use an old version of Linux. There's no need and there may be problems: Linux is not Windows, and doesn't do backwards compatibility.