Petr Šourek For our daily work, we need certain applications that help us both in our work and in our entertainment. However, if we want to switch to another operating system, a problem arises. The applications we use may not be available. We have prepared a series of articles that will deal with this topic. We hope that it will help you both when changing the operating system and when looking for new applications for your daily efficient work.
In the first article of the series, let's see what options we have for replacing applications on Mac OS. At first, it would be good to say that Mac OS is a system built on the basis of NextSTEP and BSD, that is, on the basis of the Unix system. The first Macs with OS X ran on the PowerPC architecture, where it was possible to use only tools for virtualization (Virtual PC 7, Bochs, Guest PC, iEmulator, etc.). For example, although Virtual PC worked relatively quickly, working all day in a virtual machine without integration into the OS X environment must have been extremely inconvenient. There was also an attempt to merge the Wine project with QEMU (Darwine) to run MS Windows applications natively on Mac OS, but this did not work as expected and was cancelled.
But when Apple announced the transition to the x86 architecture, the outlook was already rosier. Not only could MS Windows be run natively, but Wine could also be compiled. The portfolio of virtualization tools has also grown, resulting in, for example, MS ceasing support for its Virtual PC tool for OS X. Since then, companies have been competing over how fast their virtual machines can run or how well they are integrated into the environment OS X etc.
Today we have several options available to replace programs from Windows to Mac OS.
- Native launch of MS Windows
- Finding a replacement for Mac OS
- By virtualization
- Translation API (Wine)
- Translation of the application for Mac OS.
Native launch of MS Windows
Windows can be started using the so-called DualBoot, which means that our Mac is running either Mac OS or Windows. The advantage of this method is that Windows fully utilizes the HW of your Mac. Unfortunately, we always have to restart the computer, which is inconvenient. We also have to have our own MS Windows license, which is not exactly the cheapest. It is enough to buy the OEM version, which costs around 3 thousand, but if you want to run the same windows in a virtual machine from the BootCamp parcel, you run into a problem with the licensing agreement (source: Microsoft hotline). So if you want to use BootCamp and virtualization, you need the full boxed version. If you don't need virtualization, an OEM license is enough.
Looking for an alternative for Mac OS
Many applications have their replacement. Some are better with more functionality, others worse. Unfortunately, it mainly comes down to the habits of individual users. If the user is used to working with Microsoft Office, he usually has problems switching to OpenOffice and vice versa. The advantage of this alternative is undoubtedly that it is directly written for Mac OS and its environment. Often, all the keyboard shortcuts that we are used to and the principles of operating this system in general work.
Virtualization
Virtualization is running Windows in a Mac OS environment, so all programs run natively in Windows, but thanks to today's program options, with support for integration into Mac OS. The user starts Windows in the background, runs a program, which then runs in the Mac OS GUI. There are several programs on the market today for this purpose. Among the better known are:
- Parallels desktop
- VMware fusion
- VirtualBox
- QEMU
- Bochs.
The advantage is that any software we have purchased for Windows will run this way. The disadvantage is that we have to purchase a license for Windows and the Virtualization tool. Virtualization can run slowly, but this depends on the computer we are virtualizing on (author's note: there is no problem with the speed of working with Windows applications on my 2-year-old MacBook Pro).
API translation
Don't worry, I don't want to overwhelm you with some incomprehensible sentence. There is only one thing hidden under this heading. Windows use special system function calls (APIs) to communicate with the hardware, and on Mac OS there is a program that can translate these APIs so that OS X can understand them. Experts will probably excuse me, but this is an article for users, not for the professional community. Under Mac OS, 3 programs do this:
- Wine
- Crossover-Wine
- Crossover
Wine is only available from source files and can be compiled via a project Macports. Also, it might seem that Crossover-Wine is the same as Crossover, but it is not quite so. Firm CodeWeavers, which develops Crossover for money, is based on the Wine project, but implements its own code back into it to improve compatibility with applications. This is put in the Crossover-Wine package in MacPorts, which again is only available by translating the source codes. Crossover can be applied to individual applications and has its own GUI, which makes it easier for you to install individual applications and their dependencies, which the previous two packages do not have. You can find directly on the CodeWeavers website which applications can be run on it. The disadvantage is that other applications than those listed by CodeWeavers can be run on it, but it needs to be able to configure the Wine project.
Translation of the application for Mac OS
As I mentioned in the previous paragraph. Some applications, mostly from the Open Source community, may not have a Mac OS binary package, but are maintained in source files. In order for even a normal user to be able to translate these applications into a binary state, a project can be used Macports. It is a package system built on the principle of ports known from BSD. After installing it and updating the port database, it is controlled via the command line. There is also a graphic version, Project Fink. Unfortunately, its program versions are not up-to-date and therefore I do not recommend it.
I tried to outline the possibilities of running Windows applications on Mac OS. From the next part, we will deal with specific areas of working with a computer and alternatives to programs from the MS Windows environment. In the next part, we will take aim at office applications.
Sources: wikipedia.org, winehq.org
I would not recommend MacPorts to anyone today. There is a much more complete and well thought out alternative to Homebrew http://mxcl.github.com/homebrew/
Thanks for the tip, I'll try it and see what happens. Anyway, is there a list of packages available via brew somewhere on the net? Something like: http://www.macports.org/ports.php
I can't find it :( thanks
I'm testing homebrew, I'll be in favor of "the bull" anyway, but my observations:
– the documentation is very austere, a normal user will have problems with it (it is a fact that MacPorts is in English, but it is fine with a dictionary),
- somehow I still don't understand the "formula" principle, but after looking, MacPorts have a larger SW base,
– yes, this alternative is faster, but somehow I'm missing "variants", switching between what I want to compile with and what I don't.
I haven't tried compiling directly from the source files yet. To be honest, for many users, I'd rather see something like Fink, because I don't need to know what's behind it. It's a fact that Homebrew is probably better for things in the repository (you don't need to research variants, etc.), we'll see what the compilation is like directly from source.
It's totally weird. I would like to buy a mac, but the feeling that I will have to run Windows on it again in order to be able to work with the software that I bought expensively just for Windows is quite funny and it does not solve the problem of running away from Windows.
Stay until the end of the series. What software is it specifically? Maybe we can find a solution. If the program is for both Mac and Win, the manufacturer (e.g. Adobe) allows changing the system platform during the upgrade under certain conditions.
Honestly, when I bought my first Mac, I was afraid that I would spend most of my time in Windows. Now, after 2 years of use, I can safely say that it is not so bad. More or less, I use Windows for Sap Logon (and only sometimes, because JavaGui does not contain some functionalities, which do not bother the user, but unfortunately I need them for my work). The rest of the software runs on my Mac. In any case, I would lean towards Libor, can you tell us what SW you use? Either we know his alternative, or we will look for it and add it to our series. And that goes for the last one too :)
I usually get by with Mac OS, but I would welcome software for maps and communication with GPS - MapSource from Garmin. Garmin is trying, their SW for Mac is growing, they offer some BaseCamp, but I haven't tried it yet, I'm going to. I have no idea how it is similar or different from MapSource. After all, I have a hiking GPS, another GPS for the car, and I would like to work with it on a Mac as well.
Specifically, I need corel x4, Autocad, Autovue 3d viewer. In total for about 70000 NOK. I estimate the possible upgrade (if at all possible) to another 35000 NOK.
Corel stopped supporting the Macintosh at version 11 - in 2002. I even read somewhere that they recommend their customers to use Boot Camp. You can exchange Corel for Adobe Illustrator, or the entire Creative Suite package (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Acrobat...).
In my opinion, the upgrade is possible with the option of using purchased Corel licenses. Contact Mr. Metlička from Adobe CZ, he could help you.
AutoCAD for Mac will go on sale in early October. See the article http://jablickar.cz/autocad-se-vraci-na-mac-a-ios/
Autovue 3d viewer is it CAD? What do you use this program for?
I wouldn't trade corel for anything, it's an excellent and fast vector program. what I can draw in Corel in 15 minutes, elsewhere it takes about an hour....
Hello,
Could I please have a question about the java sap logon? Did you manage to activate the display of the Czech character? If I use any code page other than 1100, sap "dumps", mostly "RFCGUI_UNEXPECTED_DATA", but I have seen others. Did you happen to encounter a similar problem? I solved it by adding cpg=1100 in expert settings. So my entire connect string is:
conn=/H/saprouter/S/3299/H/sapserver/S/3200&jenc=MacRoman&jloc=en&cpg=1100&lang=EN
Hello,
I haven't tried it, I'll try it on my practice server at home.
I'm looking at the sheet music and I find this quite interesting:
Note 887238 – Failed code page conversion causes RFCGUI_UNEXPECTED_DATA
In theory, it could be that another cpg is not installed in the system you are connecting to, I would recommend you to make arrangements with your bassist.
Alternatively, I would try CP 4110, which is the internal code designation for unicode, i.e. if you have system version 4.7, ECC5, ECC6, etc., or if they are turned on as unicode enabled.
in any case, it would also help me if, when the dump comes to you, you send the head of it so that I can stab myself with it (ST22). Thanks
How do I open the logo from Corel X5??? Illustrator CS5 will only open Corel 12 for me. I don't intend to put Win on Mac...
Whoever gave/sent it to you should convert it to EPS, AI, PDF format. I don't know any other option.