[AuckLUG] Deserting Windows for Linux ...

[Vincente Aggrippino]

On 1/15/07, David Love <zed at zed.net.nz> wrote:
>
> ...
>
> This just leaves the problem as to how I continue using Family
> Historian.  I  understand that it runs on Linux using CrossOver Office
> - and possibly WINE - but rather like the idea of using Xen. I have no
> idea whether this is possible.


If it's just for this one application, I recommend using WINE.  I've had
really excellent results when running some Windows apps under WINE.

Is this "Family Historian" published by "Calico Pie Ltd."?  I'm not familiar
with the software.  I just did a Google search and a WINE AppDB (ref:
http://appdb.winehq.org) search.  I didn't find any references to this
specific program in the AppDB, but that might not mean anything.  Give it a
try.  If it works well, then it'll be much better than running an entire
operating system in a VM.

On the other hand, virtualization is fun to play with, as I'm sure you've
already discovered when emulating RISC OS.  I've only read about Xen, but I
have used VMWare (ref: www.vmware.com) and Qemu (ref:
http://fabrice.bellard.free.fr/qemu).

For out-of-the-box convenience, I have to say that VMWare is awesome.  I
think you can run almost anything inside of a virtual machine with almost no
degradation of performance.

Qemu provides almost the same benefit as VMWare, but totally free.  Set-up
is a little more complex, but it's worth it.  Now that the Kernel-based
Virtual Machine is going into the standard Linux Kernel (ref:
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=623&num=1 and
http://kvm.sourceforge.net), Linux natively supports the Qemu image.  The
Phoronix article suggests that KVM has performance comparable to Xen for
many tasks.

Now comes the crunch question.  As I am not experienced in the
> installation of Linux, is there any member in the West Auckland area
> (Henderson) who'd be happy to come along and help me through the
> process?  Alternatively, I'd be happy to bring the machine to their
> home. I am more than happy to pay a reasonable sum for the service.


I'd be happy to help you out.  The only problem is that I'm new to the
Auckland area and I don't know exactly which part is West Auckland.  I'm a
transplant from the USA.  I'm living in CBD.  My current fee for individual
Linux implementation is quite reasonable, too... I'd like a foot-long BMT,
toasted, on Italian Herb and Cheese bread with all of the toppings
(including jalapeño peppers) except for onions and Italian dressing (ref:
http://world.subway.com/Countries/MenuFiles/NZD-ENG/hot.jpg) :)

On a serious note... as a software developer I've chosen to focus on the
Open Source Software market for professional-moral reasons.  I see adoption
of Open Source Software at every level as critical to the future of the IT
industry and my own personal success.  So, I'm enthusiastic about helping
anyone adopt Open Source Software.  As long as time and finances allow it,
I'll always provide these services for free.

David
> --
> David Love
> If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.
>