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SD-B

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 1, 2009
399
14
Few Questions Please:

Need a Windows PC to update a piece of hardware I have, unrelated to Windows, about 2x per year.

It was suggested i get 'CrossOver" using the WINE environment.

Afraid I am not sure how this works.
How does it?

Same idea as Parallel Desktop?

Seems a bit price, $57 per year for me to access it maybe 3x?
Any other options, less pricey?

T.I.A.


Edit: Have read year old comments, didn't work well, etc. Has it improved or another option better?
 
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Guess I should assume from the overabundance of promising answers, that it's the app of the year :p
 
Guess I should assume from the overabundance of promising answers, that it's the app of the year :p

I have and use the latest version of Crossover. Actually Crossover is a more sophisticated and automated WINE. If the app you have is listed in the Crossover list of apps, it will install it automatically. For example... Crossover will install the Windows version of Office (up to Office 2010). It will also install many Windows programs that it doesn't list. You just have to try it out. One note of caution though.. I do not recommend it for graphic intensive Windows games.

As for price, wait for it to go on sale or grab a copy during their once a year freebe. That's how I first got my copy and later on when a new version came out I upgraded.
 
I have and use the latest version of Crossover. Actually Crossover is a more sophisticated and automated WINE. If the app you have is listed in the Crossover list of apps, it will install it automatically.

I was specifically looking to use it to update some vaping hardware that give updates. Few seem to remember mac users.
Thanks for the info.
I will wait for a free copy to show up so at least i can then tell IF it will work for my needs, or not.
 
Thanks. It turns out i likely cant use it anyhow. I wasn't aware software on mac to use windows software meant you could only use listed software. I thought you could use anything. What i need to do is update obscure chinese hardware through USB so I will just stick to doing it 2x a year the way I have been doing.
 
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Thanks. It turns out i likely cant use it anyhow. I wasn't aware software on mac to use windows software meant you could only use listed software. I thought you could use anything. What i need to do is update obscure chinese hardware through USB so I will just stick to doing it 2x a year the way I have been doing.

Keep in mind that it isn't the listed software that is only approved for use. The list that Crossover keeps is software that is known or proven to work. That doesn't mean that the software you are trying to work with won't work with Crossover. There was one piece of software that the Crossover developers didn't even know about that I use (VRC ATC client to use on the VATSIM flight simulation network) that works fine. Passing that info onto them now has it on its list of software known to work.

So don't let the software list put you off, as it may do exactly what you need. As someone mentioned above; you have a 30-day trial period. If that still doesn't work for you, you may also want to consider Bootcamp.

BL.
 
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Good to know. I will check it out tomorrow. Thanks. I didn't want to pay for something that was not going to end up working.
 
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