Facebook Plunges Again
Tumblr 101: Tips And Tricks To Get Started
Run Linux apps on Windows or OS X with Lina
Next month a California-based startup plans to release an application that will allow Windows, Mac, and Linux users run Linux binaries without any modifications. Lina is a Linux virtual machine that allows users to run applications with the native look of their host operating system. It also lets you install applications with a mouse-click, no need to compile software from source code.
The idea is that developers will be able to create programs for one platform, and they'll be able to run on three different operating systems. This could both expand the market for open source Linux applications, and cut down work for developers. Lina will be free for open source developers, while a licensing fee will apply to commercial developers.
Lina is still a work in progress, with no support for GTK+ or USB peripherals yet. The virtual machine takes up less than 40MB when installed.
[via Slashdot and Linux Devices]
The idea is that developers will be able to create programs for one platform, and they'll be able to run on three different operating systems. This could both expand the market for open source Linux applications, and cut down work for developers. Lina will be free for open source developers, while a licensing fee will apply to commercial developers.
Lina is still a work in progress, with no support for GTK+ or USB peripherals yet. The virtual machine takes up less than 40MB when installed.
[via Slashdot and Linux Devices]
Comments
26
Subscribe to commentssmoke_tetsuMay 29th 2007 5:00PM
MagikMan74: I realize I may have made some run on sentances. Easy solution though, don't read it out loud.
smoke_tetsuMay 29th 2007 4:41PM
BTW, MagikMan74 if you are going to get on my case for a run on sentance it's BREATH not BREATHE.
smoke_tetsuMay 29th 2007 4:44PM
I meant sentence. =P
KlusterMay 29th 2007 9:48PM
Why port linux apps on windows, it won't make the os more stable or more efficient. Linux apps belong on linux. As for Windows apps, well leave them to the technologically impaired.
ShamundaJul 5th 2007 1:19AM
Sounds like another fork that will use CoLinux, like they all do.
http://www.colinux.org/
Related Links:
http://www.andlinux.org/index.php
http://topologi-linux.sourceforge.net
XmsJul 9th 2007 8:39PM
Even if for linux users, the only porting problem is to recompile - sometimes it's damn near impossible. You have to download multiple on multiple development packages in some cases and some of those strange out of the way packages that you have to have, for some reason don't work with your version of windows, and then you have to go in manually and edit the source code and it gets really annoying. This could easier for mainstream linux users and people trying to switch to linux because for the average person "installing" something on linux is a hassle. Having a sort of "universal" Lina linux binary would be ideal even if we're only talking about linux to linux, because there's way too many of them.
Linux ports to windows exist, but Cygwin can't really handle everything. and it takes a lot longer to compile a binary through Cygwin or Mingw than with an actual linux system.
For OSX they are in the process of becoming more compatible with linux so that's less of a problem, namely because they run on Unix.
Still - there's Java - but a lot of people don't like Java, because it's slow as well as new, and thus, very few developers tend to play with it. I don't know how slow Lina will be, but if it's any faster than Java, or even if it's not, but not substantially slower, it would be worth looking into.
Also Windows is pretty much unavoidable currently - and it's much easier to install an emulator than do a massive overhaul of the system, if you want a program that runs on a different OS.
+ although Windows can be a big over massive pain, modifications here and there - I've noticed less modifications than with linux - you can make it - workable, so because of it's greater and more extensive compatability yadda yadda - a more universal port for linux binaries could bring a reinforcement to the Open Source projects.