Linux is more capable than ever. With over 1000 Linux games available on Steam and a general shift towards more web-based desktop software,
But, as most dedicated Linux desktop users will eventually
discover, there comes a time when you just need to run a particular
piece of Windows software on your Linux PC.
There are quite a few ways
to do so. Here’s what you need to know:
Wine
Wine is a way to run Windows software on Linux, but with no Windows required.
Wine is an open-source “Windows compatibility layer” that
can run Windows programs directly on your Linux desktop. Essentially,
this open-source project is attempting to re-implement enough of Windows
from scratch that it can run all those Windows applications without
actually needing Windows.
This is the only method here that won’t actually require a
copy of Windows, but the downside is that it won’t run every application
properly. You may encounter bugs or performance issues, especially if
you’re using Wine to play video games.
But if you’re running a popular game released a few years ago, you may
find that it performs very well. Many people use Wine to play
World of Warcraft on Linux, for example. You can get an idea of how an application will run and any tweaks it might require by visiting the
Wine Application Database website and searching for that application.
Virtual machines
Virtual machines are a very convenient way to run Windows
software on your Linux PC. As PCs have gotten faster, virtual machines
have become comparatively more lightweight.
This process involves installing a copy of Windows in a “virtual machine” program like
VirtualBox, VMware, or Linux’s built-in KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)
solution. That copy of Windows thinks it’s running on real hardware,
but it’s really running in window on your desktop. Modern
virtual-machine solutions can even break Windows programs running in the
virtual machine out of that window, allowing them to act like normal
windows on your Linux desktop.
Dual-booting
Dual-booting isn’t technically a way to run Windows software
on Linux itself, but it is how many Linux users run Windows software.
Rather than using it directly under Linux, you just reboot your
computer, choose Windows, and boot into Microsoft’s operating system.
The Windows software can then run in its native environment. Thanks to
modern solid-state drives, that reboot process should be faster than ever.