Ubuntu 8.0.4 and Windows executables and devices

I recently began using Ubuntu Hardy Heron (8.0.4). Now, I was faced with making my devices and programs work as they did in Windows.

I installed Wine to make my programs work. But, as would be expected, not all programs work, and, I tell you, don't ever hope that Wine will support kernel-mode Windows software, for the kernel-mode architecture of Windows and the Linux kernel are way too different to be ever compatible in any respect. Also, one problem is emulating Ntdll.dll - this DLL, though exports many functions (1000+), what it simply does is "barrel" it down to the kernel-mode libraries, which actually do the work. I guess Wine's emulation of Ntdll.dll just maps the call to native Linux functions.

If ever, I'll simply get native Linux versions - that will be good. But for some software (especially "high-end" software like Adobe Flash) which are "Windows-only," I have to use Wine to run them. Still, I know at least they will perform reasonably good under Wine.

A good example of Windows-only software that's of practical use to me is Novarm, Ltd.'s DipTrace. Even with the limitation that it was compiled to run on Windows, still, I've been able to make it work under Ubuntu - and many other "simple" Windows binaries I have at my computer.

A harder problem I have is making my SiS graphics card work as it did in Windows XP. I know, and you may also know, that this company writes drivers solely for Windows. It's sad enough that they, a hardware vendor, are very picky on the OS they want their hardware to run in (in this case, Windows). In my opinion, device manufacturers are supposed to design their hardware such that any OS (Windows, MAC, Linux) can use its capabilities. I understand if they made their drivers for only the three operating systems I've mentioned - they're the mainstream operating systems out there in the market.

Anyway. I hope device vendors will not concentrate on Windows in writing their device drivers - it's not just they have to pay Microsoft to make the drivers "certified," many organizations in my opinion hate Windows. I know of news to obstruct the motive of free - as in libre - software. But for them, here's just one thing I have to say:

"No one can monopolize the software world. Ever."

Even I am planning to make some PC hardware, but I have to use commands that are as generic as possible, so I in turn don't get into the "selective device-OS combination" problem.