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The key and most critical difference being that it doesn't run win32 apps.

However, if you really want win32 apps, and in a cage even, try Win4Lin, although sometimes WINE is good enough.

Forget VMWare. If all you want to do is run Win9x w/ Office like apps, try Win4Lin. It's 1/2 the price of VMware/Plex86, and so far, I've got it running Office2k(w/ Outlook to an Exchange Server), Project2k, McAfee AV/Vshield, and EasyZip. I can surf w/ IE, and print via LINUX printers(using windows drivers). File storage uses the UNIX tree structure (accessable through LINUX)-- no big-virtual drive.

So far, the only thing it can't do is MS Networking (browse fileshares, access resources, log into domains, and etc.). It also doesn't have Sound, and it can't play DirectX games. It also only supports Win9x.

I'm SUPER impressed with it. (Acutally, McAfee blew me away!

Microsoft ships a working, complete IE for Linux

But, why would they? If you really want to run MS software try Win4Lin. A friend of mine installed it last night and said that it's a lot faster than VMWare. I haven't tried it myself but I've been considering it just so I can run IE for those times when I run across pages that crash Netscape 4.7x. (Usually Java-ized pages do it.) Yes it's not free, but for US$35, it ain't bad.

ftp://ftp.trelos.com/pub/

is a quote from the marketing team over at trelos, i highly doubt that this is really that stable concedering that is appears from this diagram that this app runs in linux kernal space. Not such a good idea, if your interested in stabilty.

I could be completly wronge here, but if it does indeed use MS code, and runs in kernel space, i can't imagine this setup being very stable.

Another point to make is that this is a comercial product. (way) not GPL.

-Jon

Ive seen a few comments already about Win4Lin being unlike VMWare because its not a Virtual Machine. If people would care to read the whitepaper, then think before they post their little replies they'd find out that

It IS a virtual machine

It requires a copy of 95 or 98 to run Windows apps

It has its own BIOS

It provides a virtual hardware profile

In other words, its pretty damn similar to the way VMWare is set up.

Pax,

White Rabbit +++ Divide by Cucumber Error ++

Win4Lin is not like Vmware!
Vmware is its own little virtual computer, you can install windows on it, get pissed, install BSD, format, then install BEOS, and VMware would never know the difference, because its its own little computer complete with a Bios and everything!

Win4Lin is like Wine, you can run singular applications like word or Excel, or IE.
Here is a link that might help people sort it out
Win4Lin Whitepaper
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It seems like Win4Lin is more a competitor for WINE than VMWare, in that it interacts with windows software at a much higher level. Whilst details are sketchy, the site gives the impression that it doesnt emulate the full hardware.

For instance, the line:
The Win4Lin software package consists of a set of server processes, kernel hooks and drivers. These facilities combine to create a tightly integrated environment between Linux and Windows.
gives the impression that it preprocesses the running software to allow it to run.

In fact the key difference between Win4Lin and MAME is that it uses a real copy of Windows to provide the libraries and bugs.

Since nobody's mentioned Win4Lin by TreLOS, I guess I'd better do it. It's yet another virtual OS system, but it only runs Win9x (the real Redmond beast) on Linux. The advantage compared to WMware is that it does it really fast - the performance is really comparable to native Windows. A truly amazing experience when you boot Windows in an X window with five large apps and it still only takes 30MB of memory and doesn't slow down either itself or Linux. Don't try that with your Windows 98! :) Win4Lin lives in the Linux filesystem which makes transferring files between the OSes a breeze. The major drawback is the poorly documented install, which requires a kernel patch.

I was considering buying it (for $35) until I heard that WINE can finally run Lotus Notes. Win4Lin also freezes my whole system when I try to run my other main Windows app - Deluxe Ski Jump...

Keep your fingers crossed...I will for a few years.

I personally think that something like Wine is much more interesting. It makes you able to run Windows programs while it doesnt limit you to it.

The alternative i use myself is Win4Lin. It might be a sucky solution to actually run 2 operating systems at the same time, but hey, it lets me use all the Windows programs i need except for Diablo 2 :)

For a SCO merge port, look HERE

While on the SCO topic, I recently purchased a product called Win4Lin, which I guess, is a port of SCO Merge to Linux. This product is similar to VMWare, where you actually have to own a licensed copy of Win95/98, and load it in. Where it shines is performance. I have this running on my modest Pentium-120, with 96MB of RAM, and it seems fast. In fact, it boots Win98 second edition faster than a P-300 at work! Sound support is forthcoming, but so far it has run everything I've thrown at it! I'm very impressed, and the price is only $49.95. If you still have a few Win apps. which may never see the light of day on Linux (like my wifes greeting card software), I'd highly reccommend it. Not to mention that having a native windows color printer driver, is much better than anything ghostscript can currently do for me. Check it out here.