While most Linux purists prefer to stick to programs natively
designed to run on their favorite distros, there are times when a user
runs into a wall. Maybe they absolutely need Microsoft Office, or
perhaps their favorite game just isn’t Linux compatible. That’s where
WINE and CrossOver come in handy, making it possible to run some Windows
applications with relative ease. And now that same magic is making its
way over to the world of Android.
For those that don’t know, WINE is an application layer that fills in
the missing ‘bits’ that aren’t found on Linux and other non-Windows
platforms
(okay, an obvious oversimplification.. but you get the idea),
allowing Windows programs to work at essentially the same speed as they
would on Microsoft’s own OS. How well these programs work varies from
nearly perfect to buggy as all get out.
Crossover is coming to Android by the end of this year, with WINE to follow sometime shortly after.
What WINE isn’t is an emulator, and is instead billed as a
“compatibility layer”. In fact, WINE actually stands for “Wine Is Not an
Emulator”. As for CrossOver? This is the commercial side of WINE, with
more app/game specific optimizations. CrossOver actually funds WINE, and
in return utilizes WINE’s progress to help further its own goals.
So back to the main topic here: Crossover is coming to Android by the
end of this year, with WINE to follow sometime shortly after. It’s
unclear how Crossover and WINE might differ from their Linux
counterparts, but the end goal is the same: the ability to run popular
Windows programs on your Android device. Considering that many
traditional Windows programs aren’t designed with touch in mind, we
imagine this will be more useful for tablet users that want to improve
their productivity and aren’t afraid of attaching a keyboard and mouse
to do it.
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