How do y'all deal with programs not supported on Linux?

I’ve been seeing all these posts about Linux lately, and looking at them, I can honestly see the appeal. I’d love having so much autonomy over the OS I use, and customize it however I like, even having so many options to choose from when it comes to distros. The only thing holding me back, however, is incompatibility issues. A lot of programs I work with very often are Windows-exclusive, and alternatives supporting Linux are rare. So I guess I’m stuck with Windows, since I deem those particular programs really important.

Any advice from Linux nerds here? All constructive replies are very appreciated.

Pantherina,

Lots of Linux-only software too

linearchaos,
@linearchaos@lemmy.world avatar

Native>wine>pwa>VM

My win11 VM sits on my disk, most days it stays off. It starts in 30 seconds and I use remina to remote into it. It sucks that I lose 60gb of disk, but it’s fast and everything just works.

We use Google docs at work so that’s an easy win.

Outlook’s Progressive web app is 99% awesome.

be_excellent_to_each_other, (edited )
@be_excellent_to_each_other@kbin.social avatar

Unless you have very specialized requirements (and quite possibly you do) the solution is usually to unhook yourself from thinking of needing specific programs and to instead focus on needing to perform specific tasks. (Then finding the Linux way to perform that task.)

Barring that, the codeweavers suggestion is a good one. I used it in my early days when I thought I couldn't live without particular pieces of Windows software and although that was several years ago, even then it was pretty good about being able to easily run arbitrary Windows software. IMO it's cheap enough to be worth the investment.

If you truly have bespoke requirements that just can't be satisfied by either of the above, staying on Windows may legitimately be your best option.

More generally - if you decide to take this step, expect to have to learn to use a computer substantially differently than you have in the past. It's not harder; in many ways it's easier. But if you are very experienced and comfortable with Windows, a lot of concepts are going to feel foreign to you. Tackle one task at a time and your experiences will build upon each other. Go into it expecting to have to learn, and you'll do fine. Bizarrely I find the least tech-savvy folks sometimes have the easiest time transitioning.

Hairyblue, (edited )
@Hairyblue@kbin.social avatar

All my games work with Steam/Proton (thanks Value!) and I mainly use my desktop as a gaming PC. I do some bussiness stuff but LibreOffice will work. Or I also use Google Docs to do things--can be saved as Microsoft Office file types or PDF.

But you are right, if you need a Windows only program, then Windows is the only option. I had to update the firmware on my Xbox controller that I use with Steam to play my games. I had to wipe one of my laptops and put a copy of Windows on there to get this done. Another time there was a free Baldurs Gate game from Amazon games I could get, BUT you needed the Amazon Game app to get it. And it only ran on Windows. I put Windows on a laptop, download the free game, then moved it to my Linux Gaming PC. After adding it to Steam as a non Steam game, I was exploring dugeons with elves and dwarves.

It's still a Windows world, but IF enough gamers switch to Linux that could change. And Microsoft is only going to get worse with ads.

HouseWolf,

I’d say make a wholehearted attempt to try open alternatives even if you stay on Windows for the time being. I had been doing so for a few years before I even considered Linux and by the time I finally did switch the transition was a lot smoother.

That being said I’ve been surprised by how much stuff actually does run under WINE!

shapis,
@shapis@lemmy.ml avatar

It would be easier if you told us specifically what programs you need that aren’t supported.

lemmyvore,

I come across Windows-only apps very seldom, when it happens I run them in a VM. It’s usually stuff like proprietary config app for a mouse or keyboard.

grue,

Any company that doesn’t support Linux doesn’t deserve my patronage.

calzone_gigante,

My advice is segregatting work and personal environment, your company’s computer isn’t safe for general usage.

About stuff you use for yourself, don’t focus on which program you want to use, but on the task you must accomplish, most software that is made to mimic a Windows workflow are not great, sometimes you think you need a msword alternative, but you just need to create a document, there’s many ways to manipulate documents on linux that are so much better than text processors like word or libre/wps/only, and you will miss it by straight up looking for alternatives.

On Window’s software are usually bound by a lot a comercial bullshit, they have to bloat to be able to be forever at development and pushing new versions, Linux usually follows into Unix philosophy, aiming for small high quality software that are easy to compose into a bigger workflow, even when not using cli tools that operate on text streams, a gui linux application usually work with standard formats, don’t try to overlap features and are easy to replace if needed.

And about transition, i like the dual boot approach, have a linux partition, and use it for what you can do better on linux when you want to, as you get better with linux, you will be wanting to use window’s less and less.

0xtero,

Sometimes customers want me to use a specific piece of software so I have a QEMU Windows installation I use.

_s10e,

We ignore them, mostly. You cannot miss what you don’t know.

There are plenty of options however to access software not available natively. Both VMs and Remote Desktop solution work for a wide range applications. Web-based solution can be as good as desktop programs.

So many casual applications are now either web-based or on your (not FOSS) phone, so for my personal use the thought of using Windows has never crossed my mind. Professionally, I resort to remote Windows or a Mac.

KISSmyOS,

If you need Windows-specific programs, you need Windows.
However, “need” is an overused term. Think about what tasks you want to accomplish, not what software you want to use.

Linux has software available for all tasks a computer can do. Some are sub-par and some aren’t widely used which makes professional collaboration impossible.
But for most tasks and most computer users, Linux-supporting software is perfectly fine and sometimes better than the Windows equivalent.

cosmic_slate,
@cosmic_slate@dmv.social avatar

You could always run Linux in a full screen VM. I do this from a Mac so I get some flexibility.

Alternatively, run Windows in a VM on Linux.

sep,

Without knowing the exact programs, you can only get general answers.

If there is no direct alternative program, you can change your workflow to use other programs. Or you can try to run those important programs in wine. Or i can run those in a terminal server, or via a windows vm. Or more lately many programs come in web versions that works for everyone.

I have used linux exclusivly on my daily driver for about 23ish years.i mostly work with the linux side of things. And the few windows things the company require i use web versions, or a windows vm.

Theoriginalthon,

If you have to use a program that is windows only you have to use windows. I could move our entire company over to Linux if it wasn’t for SOLIDWORKS been windows only.

Wine can be an option but I’ve found it very hit and miss on some of the more obscure windows only programs

In the past I’ve used virtual box (virtual machine) in seamless mode, so it looks just like a window in Linux. I can’t remember why I stopped, I think it was down to licencing and oracle buying it.

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