conversion -- newbie questions

[anphanax]

I ask these questions here, hoping to get responces from experienced and new linux users.

Heres what i'm worried about, or really the reasons why I am not motivated to switch(Im using Windows ME, and i'm still not motivated because of these things).

Graphics programs I use common:
Paint Shop Pro - switch file formats, palette editing, effects,
Macromedia Fireworks - art creation, effects, web page graphics(I like the magic wand tool)
Macromedia Dreamweaver - HTML editor. Do NOT suggest a non-WYSIWYG editor. They are fast, this one works right, and that's what matters  
I need programs with lots of power, configuration, support and options.

File sharing programs:
What kinda options do linux users have?

Progamming:
Visual Basic 6.0 E.E. - I need this mostly for making utilities to work with roms. I am still a newbie at C++(I haven't learned any windows stuff yet - working with classes). When the time comes I will need to be able to program for Linux. If possible\applicable, describe your experience programming linux software, components, ect.

I will want to have access to CHM and HLP files, do you know of a linux app that supports these?

How do resources work out in the linux executable format?

How am I going to run my windows applications? I am planning on redhat(possibly mandrake)(do not suggest Lindows). What kinda difficulty is there involved with emulating windows applications?

I am doing research on this in the limited time I have, And hope for replies in the meantime.

[emh]

quote:Originally posted by anphanax:
Graphics programs I use common:
Paint Shop Pro - switch file formats, palette editing, effects,

Give GIMP a try.  http://www.gimp.org  They even have a Windows version.

 

quote:
File sharing programs:
What kinda options do linux users have?

Check out http://www.gnutella.org  There are several file-sharing clients there, even for Windows and Mac.

 

quote:
How am I going to run my windows applications? I am planning on redhat(possibly mandrake)(do not suggest Lindows). What kinda difficulty is there involved with emulating windows applications?

Lindows is not a good choice for Windows compatibility anyway.  

I will suggest that before you try to run a Windows application, that you try to find Linux native alternatives, as they will run better than WIndows apps.

But if you really want to run Windows apps on Linux, there are several options.  Keep in mind that these options will not run every possible program.

Win4Lin - Runs Windows within Linux.  Not all Windows functionality is present, though. http://www.netraverse.com

VMWare - Virtual machine, you can run any OS in it.  You could probably get more Windows features with it than with Win4Lin, however, it is very pricey.  Don't remember the link off-hand.

Wine - Does not require a copy of Windows to use.  From my experience, the programs do seem to run just as fast as they would under Windows.  However, this is still in Alpha stage, and not every program will work.  Also, it's very difficult to use and configure.  http://www.winehq.com

WineX - Similar to Wine, but with third-party code for better DirectX emulation than Wine.  Used primarily for games, but it will work with non-games as well.  Cheap price, though.  http://www.transgaming.com

Codeweavers Crossover Office and Plugin - The Crossover Office is a Wine configuration that is specifically designed for the most popular Windows applications, such as MS Word and Excel.  Other programs could possibly work, too.  Crossover plugin allows you to use Windows plugins on your Linux browser.  Neither product is free, though.  http://www.codeweavers.com

[voidmain]

BTW, the link for VMware is http://www.vmware.com/ and it is very good (if you have a healthy enough machine to run it on). You can see a couple of screen shots of it running both Windows 2000 Advanced Server and Windows98 under Red Hat 8.0 on my desktop on a Red Hat tip page I just wrote. Actually I was running them under a remote terminal server session to my desktop from my laptop (also running Red Hat 8.0) so the screen resolution was limited to 800x600 for the screen shots (the laptop is old and only capable of 800x600). You can click the full screen button in VMware which will cause the session to take over the entire screen and you can't tell it's not the only operating system running. You will have no problem running Paint Shop Pro or Dream Weaver under Windows running in a VMware session:

http://voidmain.kicks-ass.net/redhat/redhat_8_terminal_server.html

The two images at the bottom of the page show VMware sessions running.

[ December 12, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[LorKorub]

Make the switch.  You won't be disappointed. However, certain apps that you listed will require some configuration, as the ease of some of those apps have yet to be incorporated into Linux apps that are compilable as stand-alone Linux apps. (Linux is still programming based.)

Regarding the ones you listed, you can check here: http://www.frankscorner.org/wine/ to run them under wine.  Fireworks and Dreamweaver will run under the latest release of wine, and many other popular $hitblows apps will also run.  

If you are into web design, and you have a basic knowledge of HTML (W3C HTML that is...not M$ proprietary horseshit like DHTML J$cript, and A$P), you should find an application like Bluefish suitable for your needs. Quanta will also work.  Vi or Vim is the choice of real designers (except for me....after the Vim charity thing by M$, I have switched to Jove), or any other text utility in Linux will do just fine.  Of course, there is always wine notepad...

For file sharing, you have Limewire. You can also run Kazaalite under wine. I believe neomodus has a Linux app as well.

As for your emulation question, I have suggested Wine already.  Void has mentioned VMware, and emh has mention Win4Lin and Wine(x).

Take the plunge.  Explore the unkown (to you.) We will be happy to assist you with anything that you need to make your journey more tranquil.

[voidmain]

quote:Originally posted by LorKorub / BOB:
Vi or Vim is the choice of real designers (except for me....after the Vim charity thing by M$, I have switched to Jove), or any other text utility in Linux will do just fine.

Oh no.. don't let M$ control which open source apps you use. If they see you leave VIM just because of a little donation by the employees they might start donating to all of the projects which would force you back to Windows.  

 

quote:
  Of course, there is always wine notepad...

Ick! Use "kwrite" before "wine notepad". It's just as easy to use and looks very much like notepad but has the nice Syntax Highlighting like VIM plus lots of other stuff like spell checking.

[smokey]

quote:Originally posted by void main:


Ick! Use "kwrite" before "wine notepad". It's just as easy to use and looks very much like notepad but has the nice Syntax Highlighting like VIM plus lots of other stuff like spell checking.

m3h use mcedit    - it also has syntax highlighting and has the added advantage of working even when X11 decides to not work.

[pkd_lives]

quote:Originally posted by anphanax:

Progamming:
When the time comes I will need to be able to program for Linux. If possible\applicable, describe your experience programming linux software, components, ect.

I too have been looking into this. It basically appears that a moron would program Windows and then convert to Linux. It seems that if you write for Linux it's easier to port to Mac and Windows (apparently the windows overhead on code is V. high) a basic program requires 70 lines of C++ code more than Linux in order to run - what they define as a simple program was not given, and this value increases as your programme increases (I read that on a C/C++ developers page, if I can find the link I will post it).

In other words the professionals say write in Linux, and add few lines of code to get to Mac and add lots more lines of code to get it to run in Windows. And judging by the evidence coming out of redmond that is the way M$ do it. (well maybe UNIX not Linux).

And the faster you get away from VB the better in my opinion - It is a language I always associate with non-professionals. In fact every programmer I know who uses VB as their choice is a self taught one, with huge gaps in their knowledge that even I a self confessed amateur and tinkerer can spot.