Guess what!, I have ACT! (version 6.0) running on my Linux box, screenshots to follow...
There is a product out there called "WINE" for Linux. It's not a Windows Emulator, nor is it a "virtual machine" that encapsulates your Windows apps. It's a compatibility environment that creates a virtual drive on your box that will run Windows software. The application "runs", it's not running inside a pretend Windows OS (with the start bar, task bar and all that crap). Your app runs like any other app under Linux.
A couple of things I learned along the way; The "Windows" drive is a hidden device. That's to say that you won't find it using your file manager programs. You need to get there by changing directories to ~/.wine. (Don't you love Linux?) . Again, this is done in a terminal window.
Once you're in the .wine folder, you'll see a few things; a DOS folder, a "drive_c" folder and two config files. The config files contain a bunch of stuff, but from what I can tell, they replicate the Windows Registry as it relates to any programs you have installed.
If you change to the "drive_c" folder, you'll see a Program Files and a windows directories, and changing folders again to the Program Files folder, you'll see where your programs get installed.
Learned thing number 2: IF a folder has a multiple word name like "Program Files", you'll type "cd Program\ Files" to get there. An easier way is to type "cd" then a letter or two of the folder you want to go to, and then hit the tab key. Linux will fill in the blanks. So by typing "cd Pro (tab)" will result in "cd Program\ Files", then hit enter. By the way, if you don't know it already, LINUX IS CASE SENSITIVE. Program and program are NOT the same thing.
Learned thing 3: If you do want to install ACT!, it needs internet explorer.
Finally, unless the program you want to run is part of the path (i.e., its in a folder Windows always looks in like c:\windows\system\), you'll need to point at it specifically. Example. One I got ACT installed, I needed to make a desktop icon for it. The startup command is basically:
"wine "~/.wine/drive_c/Program\Files/ACT/act.exe". It is soooooo cool.
If you want to know how to do it step by step, let me know and I'll help you out the best I can. Remember, I'm learning too.
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4 comments:
How is your ACT! under Wine journey going?
ACT! (1700 contacts, 80+ fields each, plus notes & calendar entries) is the only thing keeping me from shifting to Linux... (Well, other than all the files I've got in an obscure Win-only desktop publishing format...)
If you want to give it a whirl, you can always back up the Act! database, then set up a "Dual Boot" system. This will allow your PC to boot and offer a Linux environment, or Windows at boot time. You're Windows environment will remain unchanged from what it is now.
This way, you can play with Linux. If you choose to go that route, I'd recommend Ubuntu. There dozens of versions of Linux, but being the most popular currently, it's got the most drivers too. I't may be worth giving it a whirl.
Linux can run on most PC's, and the older ones are just fine, in fact, Linus will out perfrom any windows setup on old PC's. You might also be interested in looking at a couple of apps; GIMP (The Gimp) which is a Photoshop type product, Scribus - A desktop publishing app, and Nvu, a website builder. Those three apps are excellent! Google them.
In addition, nearly every distribution comes with OpenOffice which is a Microsoft Office compatible Office Suite.
Best of all, the programs are "open Source", which means Free.
It's important however, that if you do go this route, you A) Promote Open source wherever you can, and B) Support it however you can.
Good Luck!
Fr Stephen sent me the link to your blog, apparently after reading mine about ACT! keeping me from making the switch to Linux 100%.
I am dual booting MEPIS Linux and XP. Once I get wine installed, how do I get ACT! 6.0 going?
Thanks!
I have a new post, discussing "Act installation" if you're interested... have a look. I did it mostly from memory but I'm pretty sure it will work.
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