CrossOver Brings QuickTime Movies to Linux: Part 1
Pages: 1, 2
A closer look at CrossOver
The best way to install CrossOver is to follow the prompts for the default package. By doing so, you will obtain the necessary Linux libraries for the second phase: the installation of the Windows version of QuickTime.
If you've ever installed QuickTime on Windows, you know that it's a very easy process. It's exactly the same process on Linux (via CrossOver) because you're using the actual licensed Windows installer. That's all there is to it.
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I'll talk more about performance in part two, but I do want to give you a basic feel for the system resources this product demands. According to CodeWeavers, because CrossOver is not an emulator (per se), there shouldn't be the typical sluggish playback issues often experienced with virtual machines. In other words, the movies should play the way they do on their native platforms because the code is executing directly to the processor.
That being said, we did notice some lag on older machines that adversely affect QuickTime's performance via CrossOver. We're still testing, but preliminary results indicate that the Wine / CrossOver / QuickTime combination requires as much CPU horsepower as you can muster.
Different results with different browsers
CrossOver also behaves better with certain browsers than others.
Performance is best in Netscape. You can expect generally good playback using the Konqueror browser if you use version 2.1.1 or newer. During CrossOver beta-testing, some Konqueror users reported a good experience while others had some problems.
The situation is similar with the Mozilla browser, especially with version 0.8 and earlier. If you want to use CrossOver with Mozilla, make sure you have a current build of the browser. Even so, some testers reported plug-in crashing. In all instances, however, the browser is protected even if the plug-in does crash.
CrossOver does not work at all with the 1.0 version of Opera.
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The CodeWeavers development team states that CrossOver will soon work on Konqueror and Mozilla as well as it does on Netscape. Future Opera compatibility is less clear at the moment, but CodeWeavers is interested in working with them to provide compatibility up the road.
Mixed licensing
The CrossOver package is a licensing hodge-podge. The Wine libraries that are the foundation of CrossOver are similar to the X11 License. CrossOver does have two proprietary components built on top of the Wine libraries: the installer and the Linux Netscape browser plug-in. CodeWeavers President Jeremy White argues that their hybrid licensing approach is reasonable and doesn't inhibit the use or the evolution of the software.
Pricing
CodeWeavers has packaged all the components and made them available as a download for USD$20 or on a CD that can be purchased for $29. The package includes the necessary Wine libraries, CrossOver components, and the QuickTime installer.
What's next?
In part two I'll discuss CrossOver performance in a variety of situations plus take a look at how many standard QuickTime functions are actually enabled in this Linux package.
Derrick Story is the author of The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers, The Digital Photography Companion, and Digital Photography Hacks, and coauthor of iPhoto: The Missing Manual, with David Pogue. You can follow him on Twitter or visit www.thedigitalstory.com.
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Showing messages 1 through 11 of 11.
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Interesting assistance from Crossover, but why not have it ported to run natively under linux by Apple?
2003-01-18 20:41:59 anonymous2 [Reply | View]
I thing that cross over is a wonderfull tool, but I most definately prefer software that is designed from the ground up to run on what ever windowing system and OS I use. Jaguar is already similar enough to Linux, why not port the Quicktime player?
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Price not so good fro Aussies.
2001-09-09 22:15:55 mintslice [Reply | View]
I'd be happy to pay $20 to be able to run Quicktime and other plugins on my Linux machine. $20 is very reasonable.
However, I like in Australia, and by the time you figure out the price difference between US$20 and the AUS, I'm looking at $40.00 for it, which is more than I have to pay for a new version of Linux.
Code Weavers look like they've got a good product, but $40 is a bit steep, especially since it leans heavily on Open Source software to do what it does. I won't be buying until the price gets more reasonable for users Down Under. -
Price not so good fro Aussies.
2001-09-09 22:47:18 Derrick Story |
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Yes, the strong US Dollar is hurting other folks too, including our Canadian neighbors north of the border. It would be nice is CodeWeavers would consider a small price break for countries where the dollar exchange rate is high.
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Well done Apple
2001-09-09 13:09:46 ppesci [Reply | View]
I'm an Linux and MacOS user and realy believe that Aplle will shine in Open Source too.
There will be a PowerPC version of CrossOver? -
Well done Apple
2001-09-09 22:51:33 Derrick Story |
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If i understand your question correctly, then you are talking about porting Windows apps to your PowerPC Mac. If that's the case, then look at Virtual PC from Connectix. It's a terrific Windows virtual environment on the Mac, and it's really impressive. -
Well done Apple
2001-09-10 09:58:22 halliday [Reply | View]
Actually, Derrick, I expect he is referring to getting QuickTime running on a PowerPC version of Linux.
Unfortunately, Wine cannot run this way upon anything other than x86 compatible processors. Therefore, either a true emulator would have to be used, or a port of the Mac APIs (similar to Wine's port of the Windows APIs) would need to be created (or an actual port of QuickTime, which, incidentally, would, essentially, amount to the same thing).
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A Good Player, at Last!
2001-09-09 11:19:07 ablair [Reply | View]
I'm very heartened to see QuickTime working well on Linux at last, it's taken a while; especially for those of us here in Linuxland salivating over the pro features and quality of it compared to RealPlayer. But even better news is the apparent support of the Linux implementation from Apple. On many Linux-centric newsgroups and soapboxes on the internet (like Slashdot, ArsTechnica) the lack of obvious support from Apple for open source - most obviosuly no Linux version of QuickTime - caused many to call into question Apple's commitment to OSS. With this, and other things like the hiring of BSD's Jordan Hubbard for continued work on BSD, it's looking more & more like Apple is walking the walk as well as talking the talk. Great Job, I can't wait to see the famous Movie Trailers Theatre on www.quicktime.com on my box.
So why did Apple let CrossOver bring QuickTime to Linux and not do it themselves? I think it was a problem of resources: with their programmers burning the midnight oil on their new UNIX OSes (Darwin and OS X, OS X Server) they probably didn't have the manpower to release a Linux version in a timely fashion. So they helped someone outside in whatever way they could to do it. I hope CrossOver is timely with the QuickTime updates, the future plans for the Win/Mac versions looks delicious. Good on ya, Apple.
A Blair
Ottawa, Canada -
A Good Player, at Last!
2001-09-09 22:57:18 Derrick Story |
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I just spent quite a bit of time with the QuickTime guys who were speaking at WEB2001 last week. I asked them why Apple hasn't ported QuickTime to Linux, and they said essentially the same thing you guessed in your post. It's a matter of resources.
But they are clearly "getting" the open source message, and I'm seeing actions, not just words, from Apple supporting the open source movement.
I predict we're going to see more of this type of cooperation in the near future.
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downloaded CrossOver
2001-09-09 04:30:58 deatrich [Reply | View]
I just downloaded and installed CrossOver. It works great with mozilla 0.93 ... I watched all the front-page movie trailers at quicktime.com :-) -
downloaded CrossOver
2001-09-09 22:58:38 Derrick Story |
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Score one for the Mozilla folks!
Just curious ... how powerful of a processor do you have for this set-up?
