satan just got frostbite
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A project to port the KDE Linux Desktop’s apps to Windows has been slowly gathering steam for some time now, but installing some of the more noteworthy apps, including the Kopete messenger, Amarok media manager, and Konqueror browser, can be a bit wonky. The Simple Help blog has a helpful screen-by-screen explanation of how to install KDE’s backend in Windows and get your favorite apps installed and running. Not every project ports perfectly—Amarok, for example, requires some tweaking to get sound working—but some work just fine. For a fuller virtualization of KDE (or GNOME) apps in Windows, check out Adam’s guide to running Linux apps seamlessly in Windows
Great googly-moogly, Frank, look what they’ve done… the good folks over at Lifehacker have featured an idiot-proof (did I just say that?) guide to using KDE apps in Windows. Now all you have to tell me is why, oh why would you want to?
4 Comments
matt
July 2nd, 2008
at 6:23pm
I remember when KDE 4 came out they stated that if you develop the program on KDE Linux it will work in OS X and Windows with few tweaks to to the code.
Its a good idea to have the software cross platform that easy because it would allow users to use it now matter what computer they are on.
Good article!
leftystrat
July 2nd, 2008
at 7:32pm
My understanding of the Mac OS is that it’s BSD-based, making linux programs mostly compatible (at least per my coworker, the Mac Geek). Don’t know anything about coding though.
Thanks for reading and writing.
the oracle
July 2nd, 2008
at 11:23pm
OS X is a derivative of BSD 4.4, by way of FreeBSD, but the kind folks at Apple made it a bit harder to use some things from other operating systems on it.
Also, it must be remembered that BSD 4.4, FreeBSD, and OS X are all derived from Unix proper, and Linux is a bit different - there usually has to be a compatibility layer for Linux binaries to be used on a Unix derivative. Not an impossible task, just a bit more work, and most Apple folks (not all, so no rude comments you lurkers) are not into tweaking stuff to get it working - in my estimation, most are even more ‘just install and let me ati ti’ types than your typical Windows user.
leftystrat
July 3rd, 2008
at 6:45am
Great info with which to torture my Superior Mac Coworker [evil laughter]. Although he can tweak like mad, he assured me that it’s possible to run any linux app out of the box (or tar.gz).
He counts on the fact that I don’t care to say these things :)