Wow, that’s cheap. Having zero experience with Linux systems, I ask: is it possible to run Windows programs on it?
Oh, and though this question is pretty factual, I put it in IMHO for its product-review leanings, which are definitely IMHO territory … IMHO.
There’s software called WINE that runs under Linux that can run some apps in a very slow interpretive manner. Whether it runs unders that particular Linux system on that hardware, for the apps you want, is a big gamble.
I’ve never used WINE myself, I’ve only heard of it.
WINE works pretty well. I run Lotus Notus under WINE on my LInux (RedHat 8) box. WINE is basically a port of the Windows APIs for Linux.
Be aware, though, that running Windows programs in Linux isn’t just a matter of putting the Windows disk in and having it install. It’s way, way more complicated than that.
Anoher option is to dual-boot your system, if you already have a copy of Windows. Or, you can pick up a copy of VMWare and run both Linux and Windows at the same time.
But, if you want to run windows, why not just get a Windows machine, or build your own? It’s not that rare to find $300 PCs these days.
I have used WINE, with some success. There are also assorted VM proggies out there. WINE does require some (basic) configuration of course
However the OP does beg the question a bit? Why run Windows software on it? There are usually *nix equivalents or ports that will run better native anyway
I think if thats lindows that he was looking at , the original configuration dealt heavily in wine and codeweavers for getting windows applications to run.
Probably due to legal reasons , lindows is currently running nix equivalents of ms software.
The box itself is non standard , swapping out parts is a bitch and it has a non standard board. But as techtv pointed out on the screen savers ,if your the kind of person that does not open the box and just surfs the web and sends email , this could be for you.
If that does not sound like you , then by all means ,add another couple hundred bucks into the kitty and pick up a nice system, that will probably save you money in the end.
Declan
It doesn’t appear to be Lindows, it’s “Lycoris Desktop/LX operating system (Linux-based)”.
I use wine regularly. A couple notes:
a) it’s not slow; for the things it runs, it does a good job.
b) it doesn’t run everything, and some that it doesn’t you really wish it did.
c) it can be one hell of a pain in the ass to get working right. Once it’s working for a particular application though, you can just let it go and it’ll run fine; no day-to-day annoyances.
Here is the main wine site, and here is a site with listings of applications and how well they work. As noted earlier, CodeWeavers is a commercial version of wine that’s worth investigating if you need an enhanced and supported version.
Lycoris is okay, although I’d recommend buying a computer from a more reputable manufacturer (or, if you have time, constructing your own) and then wiping the Windows partition and installing Linux. Whatever you do, don’t get anything with Lindows. It’s essentially designed to rip you off whenever you want to add a new program to your computer, you can get the same things it offers for free from RedHat or Mandrake.
UnuMondo
It used to be $199 when it came out. A computer that costs more now?
If you want a cheap PC, sometimes circuitcity closes out its Emachines for $250 or so.
You could reformat the harddrive and install windows yourself.
Judging by the screenshots, they’ve gone out of their way to make the thing look like XP, which is a strike against it if you ask me.
If you buy an eMachines PC, make sure you get the extended warranty, as they tend to have a short life from what I understand. (Too small powersupplies seems to be the most common complaint.)
“They” (I guess you mean the distributor) haven’t gone out of their way to make it look like XP. It’s the KDE desktop (one of the two most common desktops for Linux), which tends to look a little XPish but is entirely themable.
UnuMondo
Consumer Reports for July 2003 has a short article on this subject on page 7.
They tested the Microtel Sysmar 742 (since replaced). It used Lindows that looks and feels like Windows but is based on the Linux operating system. You may not be able to open, view or use documents from Windows applications, but most photo or music files should work fine. Installing non-Lindows software can be tricky.
For tech support you call one number for hardware problems and another for software. Neither number is available around the clock.
They concluded that the computer was OK for web browsing, email and letter writing but not much more.
Ok, the OP’s computer uses Lycoris, which is a decent Linux distribution. Lindows is completely different, and is as I mentioned earlier a grand rip-off.
This shouldn’t be true in the least bit. Even if you can’t use Word under WINE, Linux’s native office apps can open MS Word and Excel files just fine. And of course, open formats like PostScript and PDF are entirely usable.
Yep. The skilled swindlers at Lindows have it set up in a way where you have to pay their exorbitant fees instead of being able to download and install for free like in pretty much every other Linux distro.
Calling a number is a waste of time. Why stay on hold for ages - possibly at a toll number - when you can just post a request for help at a Linux message board?
From the reports I’ve heard, that’s not due to the operating system, but to the woefully underpowered nature of the cheap computer.
UnuMondo
Thanks for the feedback. Conclusion: prob. a bigger headache than it’s worth.