3 ms·

It's a chuckle-worthy thought now, but I am willing to bed it will be reality for backward compatibility with historic games in the long run - cf. the use of DO

by sho_hn 7y ago

It's a chuckle-worthy thought now, but I am willing to bed it will be reality for backward compatibility with historic games in the long run - cf. the use of DOSBox to run old DOS games in modern systems. Countdown to old Windows games delivered in full Linux containers starting now ...

BubRoss 7y ago
You think people will take games that already run on windows and package them in a linux container that runs them with wine, then require the multi gigabyte widows linux subystem to be installed so they can run through that? You are willing to bet on this? How much would you like to bet and are there any other bets you would like to make? Maybe the cubs winning the super bowl or dial up modems replacing fiber optics?
- qznc 7y ago
  Place your bets here: https://predictionbook.com/predictions/198711 https://predictionbook.com/predictions/198711
- sixothree 7y ago
  > take games that already run on windows I believe this is in reference to games that no longer run on modern versions of Windows.
- chupasaurus 7y ago
  > require the multi gigabyte widows linux subystem to be installed It's Hyper-V, so you could just run Linux VM without the sugar coating.
- sho_hn 7y ago
  The example I gave was old DOS games that no longer run on modern versions of Windows and are easier to ship with a bundled emulator - and that emulator is a free software reimplementation of the original thing. I think it's very likely to happen again in future iterations of the same principle, yes.
  - BubRoss 7y ago
    You think someone is going to resolve this solved problem by running wine on linux on wsl, which would still require dosbox?
    - sho_hn 7y ago
      I'm not talking about the DOS games at that point (it's a reference example for a pattern, as mentioned), but newer generations of games and the basic principle of operation. There are already some older ca. Win 98 era games that run better on Linux+Wine than on Windows past Vista due to compatibility problems, and I do think it'll eventually become a commercial reality to sell those kinds of games packaged into a a Linux VM once their numbers increase, yes. It's easier to test, doesn't require costly porting work if it already works, VM tech is increasingly commoditized, low licensing costs, the performance overhead won't matter, etc. Just like no one notices today if a DOS game is sold bundled with DOSBox. The alternative would be to maintain the native Windows port of Winet that's effort - I bank on laziness with the VM bit. The fact that WSL went VM from 1 to 2 is an indicator of viability for the general idea of transparent virtualization, too. Honestly, if you take this another round I have to assume you're being intentionally obtuse for trolling purposes.
      - BubRoss 7y ago
        > Honestly, if you take this another round I have to assume you're being intentionally obtuse for trolling purposes. You said you would bet that someone would use wine to deliver an old windows game on linux that runs inside window's linux compatibility layer, doubled down, and say anymore who says that is nonsense must be trolling. Do you think that maybe instead of being likely to happen, it is likely to never happen due to wine being open source? It could just translate to a modern windows API instead of Linux. There is even something called reactOS that is an open source and windows compatible.
        sho_hn 7y ago
        > Do you think that maybe instead of being likely to happen, it is likely to never happen due to wine being open source? That's what I meant with the last paragraph. Linux doesn't come with a licensing cost; maintaining a working "Windows backend" to wine is effort. Just bundling with Linux seems lower effort and cheaper. Cf. also just about all of the system containerization trend and what's driving it - and it's in part API surface between the delivery and the system.
account42 7y ago
Individual DLLs from Wine are alreay being used to fix compatibility problems in older games on Windows. [0] http://bitpatch.com/ie_ddrawfix.html http://bitpatch.com/ie_ddrawfix.html (included in the GOG.com installer for Planescape: Torment)

by sho_hn 7y ago

BubRoss 7y ago

You think people will take games that already run on windows and package them in a linux container that runs them with wine, then require the multi gigabyte widows linux subystem to be installed so they can run through that? You are willing to bet on this? How much would you like to bet and are there any other bets you would like to make? Maybe the cubs winning the super bowl or dial up modems replacing fiber optics?

qznc 7y ago
Place your bets here: https://predictionbook.com/predictions/198711 https://predictionbook.com/predictions/198711
sixothree 7y ago
> take games that already run on windows I believe this is in reference to games that no longer run on modern versions of Windows.
chupasaurus 7y ago
> require the multi gigabyte widows linux subystem to be installed It's Hyper-V, so you could just run Linux VM without the sugar coating.
sho_hn 7y ago
The example I gave was old DOS games that no longer run on modern versions of Windows and are easier to ship with a bundled emulator - and that emulator is a free software reimplementation of the original thing. I think it's very likely to happen again in future iterations of the same principle, yes.
- BubRoss 7y ago
  You think someone is going to resolve this solved problem by running wine on linux on wsl, which would still require dosbox?
  - sho_hn 7y ago
    I'm not talking about the DOS games at that point (it's a reference example for a pattern, as mentioned), but newer generations of games and the basic principle of operation. There are already some older ca. Win 98 era games that run better on Linux+Wine than on Windows past Vista due to compatibility problems, and I do think it'll eventually become a commercial reality to sell those kinds of games packaged into a a Linux VM once their numbers increase, yes. It's easier to test, doesn't require costly porting work if it already works, VM tech is increasingly commoditized, low licensing costs, the performance overhead won't matter, etc. Just like no one notices today if a DOS game is sold bundled with DOSBox. The alternative would be to maintain the native Windows port of Winet that's effort - I bank on laziness with the VM bit. The fact that WSL went VM from 1 to 2 is an indicator of viability for the general idea of transparent virtualization, too. Honestly, if you take this another round I have to assume you're being intentionally obtuse for trolling purposes.
    - BubRoss 7y ago
      > Honestly, if you take this another round I have to assume you're being intentionally obtuse for trolling purposes. You said you would bet that someone would use wine to deliver an old windows game on linux that runs inside window's linux compatibility layer, doubled down, and say anymore who says that is nonsense must be trolling. Do you think that maybe instead of being likely to happen, it is likely to never happen due to wine being open source? It could just translate to a modern windows API instead of Linux. There is even something called reactOS that is an open source and windows compatible.
      - sho_hn 7y ago
        > Do you think that maybe instead of being likely to happen, it is likely to never happen due to wine being open source? That's what I meant with the last paragraph. Linux doesn't come with a licensing cost; maintaining a working "Windows backend" to wine is effort. Just bundling with Linux seems lower effort and cheaper. Cf. also just about all of the system containerization trend and what's driving it - and it's in part API surface between the delivery and the system.

account42 7y ago

Individual DLLs from Wine are alreay being used to fix compatibility problems in older games on Windows. [0] http://bitpatch.com/ie_ddrawfix.html http://bitpatch.com/ie_ddrawfix.html (included in the GOG.com installer for Planescape: Torment)