winXP in linux?

Goodshape

I'm in the process of migrating as much as possible to Linux but at the moment at least there are still a few XP programs I'm going to need access to.. does anyone know of a good virtual machine program that will let me boot XP from within Linux (Kubuntu)?

I remember using VMware some years ago and it worked ok but that was a good while ago now, don't want to fork out for it if there are cheaper or better alternatives.

MrVestek

Wine, which uses the Windows library files to run windows programs will run windows programs from within Linux. However this doesn't tend to work very well as it wasn't designed to run in Linux in the first place. Loads of open source software alternatives can be found at

http://www.sourceforge.net

if you need a software that performs a specific function. Hope this helps.

Goodshape

At the moment I think Photoshop CS would be the main priority, which is probably asking alot from Wine.

Cheers anyway though, I'll give it a shot and have a look around soureforge aswell.

MrVestek

Ohh in that case then just use The Gimp. It's a free open source image editor that'sjust as powerful as photoshop. And no a program as demanding as photoshop won't run in wine. If i'm not mistaken The Gimp comes preinstalled with most newer distros of Linux.

Goodshape

I use GIMP occasionally but it seems more of an exercise in supporting open source than anything else. If I have something I actually need to get done, Photoshop is still preferable tbh.

Well, lots of options as usual.. I'll try a few and pick the best.

MrVestek

Dude trust me, The Gimp is just as powerful and has as many options as Photoshop CS. The one you have with ubuntu might not be the latest tho, check out http://www.thegimp.org

hostyle

Codeweavers will run Photoshop on Linux, but its not free. It is based on the Wine codebase, and they do contribute back to Wine, but that code is very slow coming back to Wine.

MrVestek

That's very true hostyle, I guess he could try Cadega too... I know it's wine that's geared more towards playing Windows games on Linux but it might play it more effeciently.

nadir

I know its already been said, but the gimp will do anything you want, just got to elarn how to use it.

hostyle

nadir wrote:

I know its already been said, but the gimp will do anything you want, just got to elarn how to use it.

You're obviously not a professional graphic artist The Gimp is very good, but its not in the same league as Photohop. Its clunky multi-window interface takes a lot of getting used to and IMO reduces productivity.

Goodshape

I'd have to agree with hostyle. Whatever about the power behind it, Gimp's interface leaves much to be desired. Although it could be just the years of Photoshop usage talking.

Fenster

You'd maybe be wanting this then. It hacks the Gimp's UI so its the same as Photoshop's.

Goodshape

Fenster wrote:

You'd maybe be wanting this then.

Nerds, eh? ..always one step ahead

I'll try that out this evening.

hostyle

Fenster wrote:

You'd maybe be wanting this then. It hacks the Gimp's UI so its the same as Photoshop's.

Wow. Very nice. I must give that a try

nadir

hostyle wrote:

You're obviously not a professional graphic artist The Gimp is very good, but its not in the same league as Photohop. Its clunky multi-window interface takes a lot of getting used to and IMO reduces productivity.

obviously???
wtf.
just cause ye can't adapt to an original UI, hardly makes me unprofessional, granted Im not a graphics guru, but I know alot of people who are and swear by the gimp.

scojones

Nerd != Geek.

Nerd's a pretty damn offensive term.

Goodshape

sjones wrote:

Nerd != Geek.

Sorry, but I got a laugh out of the way you phrased that

nerd also nurd (nûrd) pronunciation
n. Slang.

1. A foolish, inept, or unattractive person.
2. A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept.

geek (gēk) pronunciation
n. Slang.

1.
a. A person regarded as foolish, inept, or clumsy.
b. A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept.
2. A carnival performer whose show consists of bizarre acts, such as biting the head off a live chicken.

Not really worlds apart, and in any case it was meant only in a playful light-hearted manner (note : ';)').

If it makes you feel better you can substitute the term 'Nerd' for 'Geek' in my post above.

scojones

Goodshape wrote:

Sorry, but I got a laugh out of the way you phrased that

Hehe, I just re-read it and it's pretty funny. I always shoot myself in the foot hehe

rsynnott

Goodshape wrote:

I'm in the process of migrating as much as possible to Linux but at the moment at least there are still a few XP programs I'm going to need access to.. does anyone know of a good virtual machine program that will let me boot XP from within Linux (Kubuntu)?

I remember using VMware some years ago and it worked ok but that was a good while ago now, don't want to fork out for it if there are cheaper or better alternatives.

Try the 30day beta of the Codeweaver thing; if that doesn't run it properly, you're probably stuck with VMWare.

hostyle

nadir wrote:

obviously???
wtf.
just cause ye can't adapt to an original UI, hardly makes me unprofessional, granted Im not a graphics guru, but I know alot of people who are and swear by the gimp.

Sorry. I didn't mean to imply that you were unprofessional - merely that you're not a graphic designer by trade.

zAbbo

Install winecvs, its not that tough

rsynnott

bazH wrote:

Install winecvs, its not that tough

Eek at sig. That's a completely unreasonable number of computers

dahamsta

I'm afraid you'll just have to take my word on this, cos it was a few months ago and I can't remember the links:

There's been extensive comparisons between Photoshop and The Gimp, by professional designers. On a professional level, there were only two high-level issues, one was something to do with CMYK - I really must teach myself about that kind of crap some day - the other I can't remember. Both were apparently being addressed already.

The only other issue that people have had transitioning - in either direction - has been the GUI, and tbh the same could be said for any image editing application; any application at all in fact. (Personally, I hate both, I prefer the PSP way of doing things. I accept that it's not in the same league as Photoshop, but then neither am I.)

Actually, a google for "photoshop gimp cmyk" might turn up some related items, or the articles themselves.

adam

nadir

afaik CMYK issue was fixed with the release of gimp 2.0

dirtyharry1971

One simple solution would be to set up a small 4gb fat32 partition (keep the rest for linux) and dual boot linux and Windows XP using grub. I have it set up that way at home
Use fat32 coz linux has problems writing to ntfs partitions this way you can share files between both os's easily.