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blithen
December 5th, 2009, 10:42 AM
If you were trying to explain to someone who had absolutely no knowledge of computers why windows programs don't work on linux, how would you go about that?

lisati
December 5th, 2009, 10:43 AM
If you were trying to explain to someone who had absolutely no knowledge of computers why windows programs don't work on linux, how would you go about that?

Maybe compare it with people speaking in different languages.

Shibblet
December 5th, 2009, 10:46 AM
You can't put an Xbox game in a PS3, and vice versa. Same thing with Linux and Windows.

blueshiftoverwatch
December 5th, 2009, 11:03 AM
If you were trying to explain to someone who had absolutely no knowledge of computers why windows programs don't work on linux, how would you go about that?
It's like trying to put an 8-Track tape into a cassette player. Or a vinyl record into a CD player.

Nerd King
December 5th, 2009, 11:06 AM
You can't put an Xbox game in a PS3, and vice versa. Same thing with Linux and Windows.
That's the one I usually use. It gets the point across. Of course WINE and Virtualbox muddy the water somewhat!

ugm6hr
December 5th, 2009, 05:17 PM
Maybe compare it with people speaking in different languages.

I think this is a good analogy, since the other technology-based comparisons are visually different. i.e. you can clearly see that a CD and vinyl record are different; people from different countries (and computers with different OS) can look the same, but can't read each other's mail or talk to each other.

This also helps with the Wine / emulator issue, since it is possible to use a translator (Wine), although the fluency of communication is less good (i.e. programs don't all work cross-OS) than when speaking in a native language.

phrostbyte
December 5th, 2009, 05:30 PM
There are several ways to run Windows applications without leaving the confines of the Linux desktop. There is even a PE loader available for the Linux kernel so in theory you can't say Windows apps are any less "native". :p

Just saying if they care about some Windows app(s) it may be possible to run them in Linux.

MooPi
December 5th, 2009, 05:31 PM
I haven't told my sister yet that she is using Linux for the last three months. But I like the 8track to cassette comparison. Thanks I'll be using that in the future.

trixman
December 5th, 2009, 06:12 PM
If you were trying to explain to someone who had absolutely no knowledge of computers why windows programs don't work on linux, how would you go about that?

its like trying to play a nintendo game on a xbox system.

2 different machines

gn2
December 5th, 2009, 06:16 PM
its like trying to play a nintendo game on a xbox system.

2 different machines

Only you can run both Linux and Windows on the same machine and at the same time.....

qalimas
December 5th, 2009, 06:26 PM
Chevy parts don't work in a Mazda, and Mazda parts don't work in a Chevy.

NoaHall
December 5th, 2009, 06:38 PM
Chevy parts don't work in a Mazda, and Mazda parts don't work in a Chevy.

What does that mean?

speedwell68
December 5th, 2009, 06:58 PM
I try and explain it by saying you can't run a car with a petrol engine on diesel.

Shibblet
December 6th, 2009, 11:52 AM
How about: It's like dating two women at the same time.

:LOL:

sliketymo
December 6th, 2009, 12:58 PM
Square peg,round hole?

sideaway
December 6th, 2009, 01:09 PM
Male human, Female clothes. They work. But not very well :P

I just said that for the mental images ;)

oedipuss
December 6th, 2009, 01:23 PM
I think the different language analogy might fit better than the console analogy.

Linux speaks language A, windows language B, and wine/crossover are babelfish type automatic translators. In some cases they work, in others the result is all garbled up.
Oh and virtualbox etc would be a human translator service. Best results but slower, and more expensive in terms of resources.