From:[email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of k9ao via groups.io <k9ao@...>
Sent:?Sunday, January 19, 2025 10:50 AM
To:[email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject:?Re: [linuxham] FT8 Ops in Unix

Actually, that is *not* true. But it may be for HRD which I have never
used. So I'll give you that as a user of this app in Linux (at least
today that is true based on what you told us). And that is useful
information.

But certainly my 50+ years of (yes I really do mean UNIX) and Linux
software (and kernel) development and administration experience and
hardware development count for something. There are many applications
that "sort of" run in emulation. But not *all* run flawlessly.

That is faulty thinking based on my own experience. Applications always
run best on the OS they are designed for. Someone should not enter into
the thought that all Windows applications will somehow magically run as
they do in Windows under emulation in Linux. They may run fine, they may
run acceptably with acceptable oddities, or they may not run well enough
at all. You would have to test each one yourself on your distro of
choice and using your preferred emulator to see. And fully test all of
the features, not just the ones that you use most of time. Test the
hidden ones that you need occasionally. Do a full system test on it.

I stand by my advice that if someone wants to let go of Windows, then do
it. I think that is a good move. See if you can find applications that
will work for what you need natively under Linux if you can. And
remember that there is no guarantee that something that works flawlessly
under emulation in Linux today will continue to do so as the developer
migrates to other development environments or uses new tools. Real
Windows yes, emulators no. And Windows developers will migrate as
Microsoft moves on. I know this because as a Windows developer too I
have been through this many times as Microsoft releases new upgraded
development environments and tools and re-distributable packages.

I have a Codeweavers Crossover subscription. That a a commercial
emulator. And, many applications can still be run using that on Linux (I
advocate for several), but not exactly as they do natively under
Windows. Pretty darned good though I have to say. The trouble is that
the cost of that subscription over say a 5 year period will exceed the
cost of a brand new Windows 11 PC. So the thinking there about economy
just does not wash. It would be better and cheaper to just get the new
Windows 11 PC and be done with it. Stuff will just run. Now if you are
going to switch to native Linux applications, then the economy does work
out. And things will run generally faster and better for you. That's why
I use Linux daily. I use Codeweavers because in the cases that
applications will run under emulation I can save myself a boot to
Windows from Linux? or firing up a VM quickly to use them. But I do have
a full Windows install available too.

As to Ham Radio Deluxe, the developers themselves recommend running it
on Mac or Linux in a VM. That of course is *not* emulation for one
application, but is a way to actually run a Windows operating system
(complete) using the virtualization capabilities of modern processors.
This is a different thing from emulation entirely. So from the
developers themselves, I'd take this to mean that they would not commit
to support emulation working indefinitely, or well, or at all. If it
does, I guess fine. But there are no guarantees that such will always be
the case. Hence my recommendation to just get off of Windows apps if you
can and if you can't stay with Windows. If you do go the emulation route
understand that there is a possibility that someday the application just
won't work or work right under emulation and you'll have to move on to a
native Linux application that'll do the job anyway, or move back to
Windows then if you want to stay with the original app.

As to cross platforming something like HRD, this is not as easy as some
might think. If it was developed in a Windows environment using
non-cross platform tools then I'm guessing it'd be about a complete
re-write from zero (been there, done that). And that will probably never
happen. It would not make economic sense to the developer. If it was
developed with a cross-platform model initially, then it is a smaller
job to get it running on other operating systems. Not trivial by any
means though since the way things work across the 3 main OS platforms is
different enough in many cases.

But again, think of what is there now in Linux. Not what might be, and
see if that any of that works for you.

Rick Kunath, K9AO

de Fred W0SP