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Idea #1608: Work closely with Wine team to get key MS applications run reliably on Ubuntu

bug This idea is a duplicate of Idea #762: Better Wine integration.
Written by kk the 29 Feb 08 at 17:39. Category: Office. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: New
Rationale
One of the key reasons why I and thousands of other users haven't quite switched entirely to Ubuntu is that some Microsoft applications from Windows are truly superior to others and the users need to continue to use them for business or other continuity related reasons.

Case in point is the Office suite. The Wine initiative doesn't have the necessary support and critical mass to accelerate their supported apps and a proactive support from the Linux platforms like Ubuntu will help Wine and more importantly help themselves.

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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #1608
Written by kk the 29 Feb 08 at 17:39.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #1608 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

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Remmy wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 17:46
This is a double edged sword. If we want native applications, we have to stop using and purchasing Windows applications, but there are just some applications that people need in their jobs that would require the use of wine.

It's an alternative song waiting to happen.

tantalanta wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 17:50
Before you vote against this, OSS enthusiasts (I am one myself), remember that some people have to stick with MS-native Apps for professional reasons. I'd love to see that bitter herb, that's spreading from ratmond, eradicated. But that won't work by just denying it.

aaaantoine wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 17:51
Instead of working on getting MS applications to run better on Ubuntu, the Ubuntu team should pour more resources into open alternatives, particularly those that use open standards for their document types.

gyxto wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 18:32
I think we should develop open source and free app instead of using windows app with wine

LindomarOliveira wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 19:31
So the idea is to focus work on support for MS Applications rather than focus on open source ones like OpenOffice ?

Don't you think it's better to have OpenOffice working better than to add support to MS Office ?

telluric wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 21:12
The Wine approach is said to be inferior to naitve apps because people think that a WINE apps will always be somewhat flakey. But is that really true?

Wine is not just a compatibility layer, it is also an API. One can recompile a Windows app under wine. But that API is not very well documented; the Wine people just have pointers to the Windows docs.

If the developer experience to port an app to the Wine API were streamlined, especially in regards to which functions behave flawlessly and which ones need help, this could open the door to many more apps working under Linux.

I am talking about greeting card apps, obscure business apps, stuff you can't do without. Many of these software shops have very limited developer resources, and don't have too much of a reason to care about our cause. They are not going to rewrite their existing apps in GTK/Qt.

kk wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 22:58
Thanks for your feedback guys. I am in not really asking the Ubuntu team to favor MS applications over OO. I am merely saying that in order for all of us to evangelize Open Source and Ubuntu within our professional and personal networks, we need to have a viable migration path from critical MS apps that people can't live without. When I can confidently say to my friends and colleagues that they can bring over their MS Office apps seamlessly - I think I can make a strong case for Ubuntu.

Let's face it, if nothing, MS has done a good job on the Office suite (I am not a MS basher or a supporter, I just want to have access to Best of breed apps independent of who makes them). And if Open Office gets close to the features of what MS offers in Office 2007/8 and provides a seamless migration of documents - I will be the first one to use it. It's just not there yet and the gap is not insignificant.

Thanks again.

_KK

Shhnap wrote on the 30 Dec 08 at 12:04
Well I agree simply because I think that is what Ubuntu is about. It is about making sure that users have the freedom of choice in what they do. Ubuntu is about freeing people from the bindings that stop them from venturing out.

I think that if somebody told me "You can install Windows programs and only run Windows programs, or, you can install Linux programs and run Windows and Linux software" then the choice would be obvious. I'd use Linux; hands down. Why would I intentionally restrict myself. And if we did this then two things would happen. Either Microsoft could attempt to change their OS dramatically to stop wine (which would be good because it would give them a chance to move in the right direction and produce a better OS) or they could move in Ubuntu's direction and start supporting Ubuntu. Either way that would be awesome. I'm trying to start helping fix wine up as of today and could use more help.


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