Should it not be easier to make a wine equivalent for OSX apps?

[bobbob94]

I was just wondering if anyone knows why OSX apps aren't able to run on a wine like basis. I know very little about how these things work but it seemed that the common unix heritage of linux and OSX might theoretically make running OSX apps easier than running the windows versions. Of course the range of apps for OSX is nothing like that of windows but some of the most common things that people want/need to run are the adobe creative stuff and ms office, both of which have mac versions. I presume that since it hasn't been done there's a good reason why not, but can anyone who understands this stuff explain why please? Thanks!

[LaRoza]

http://sourceforge.net/projects/darwine/

[bobbob94]

I meant running OSX apps under Linux, not running windows apps under OSX which is what darwine seems to be for...

[argie]

I meant running OSX apps under Linux, not running windows apps under OSX which is what darwine seems to be for...

Somebody tried doing this with MINE or something named like that. However, it's not so simple. A programmer could probably explain it better:
http://www.mail-archive.com/ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com/msg02240.html

[forrestcupp]

I think it never really happened because not enough people care about running Mac software. Windows has such a big market share that it was more necessary to make a compatibility layer for it.

[LaRoza]

As a non Mac user, what software is exclusively available for Macs that is worth runnin g in Linux?

I never hear anything about the Mac software, so I am curious.

[bobbob94]

I wasn't thinking about running software thats exclusively available on mac, i was more wondering if it wouldn't be easier to run mac apps on linux than it would be to run the windows versions of the same apps on linux, since both linux and osx are descended from unix while windows is not...

[LaRoza]

I wasn't thinking about running software thats exclusively available on mac, i was more wondering if it wouldn't be easier to run mac apps on linux than it would be to run the windows versions of the same apps on linux, since both linux and osx are descended from unix while windows is not...

That makes sense, and yes, it would be much easier. However, Apple won't let people run their OS on hardware that it can run on without their little chip, so I doubt they will allow people to run their software on other OS's.

They lock people to the OS, and hardware for no discernable reason. I think it is holding them back. I would pay for Mac OSX, but don't want to (and can't) buy new hardware.

[koenn]

That makes sense, and yes, it would be much easier. However, Apple won't let people run their OS on hardware that it can run on without their little chip, so I doubt they will allow people to run their software on other OS's.

They lock people to the OS, and hardware for no discernable reason. I think it is holding them back. I would pay for Mac OSX, but don't want to (and can't) buy new hardware.
Not all softwware for Mac is made by Apple, is it ?

[LaRoza]

Not all softwware for Mac is made by Apple, is it ?

I don't know, actually.

If a company makes software for Macs and Windows, I guess they need a reason to make it for Linux. Could be that no one has asked.

Given the open source nature of Darwin, and that it is a *nix, it would be pretty easy to port.

[Dark Hornet]

Not all softwware for Mac is made by Apple, is it ?

No, its not...many of the software packages in the music and video industries are not made by Apple. Actually, now that I think of it, some of the software (Shake, etc--used to make Gollum in LOTR) has a linux version, and I believe WETA Workshop used Linux for the movies.

[koenn]

I had to look around for it 'cause I don't know myself. Here's the first thing I found
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products/office2004/office2004.aspx?pid=office2004
:)