Google funds Photoshop-on-Linux work For the project, Google is funding programmers at CodeWeavers, a company whose open-source Wine software lets Windows software run on Linux. Wine is a compatibility layer that intercepts a program's Windows commands and converts them to instructions for the Linux kernel and its graphics subsystem. "We hired CodeWeavers to make Photoshop CS and CS2 work better under Wine," Dan Kegel, of Google's software engineering team and the Wine 1.0 release manager, said on Google's open-source blog. "Photoshop is one of those applications that desktop Linux users are constantly clamoring for, and we're happy to say they work pretty well now...We look forward to further improvements in this area." Google already uses Wine for the Linux version of its Picasa software for editing, tagging, and uploading photos. Photoshop is a larger and more complicated package, however, not to mention updated to version CS3 for nearly a year, so it's likely the CodeWeavers programmers will have a lot of work on their hands. A survey by desktop Linux advocate Novell found Photoshop is the top non-Linux application that Linux users would like to have. Although Adobe has dipped its toes into the desktop Linux waters, so far it hasn't made any major moves. And with current technology trends, maybe Adobe never will see the need for Linux ports. With virtualization software from companies such as Parallels and VMware and improving support from chipmakers Advanced Micro Devices and Intel, it's getting easier to run multiple operating systems on the same computer.
|
- Talkback
-
Ignominious says...
Adobe needs to understand that they are losing Windows users because they don't support Linux. I don't use Photoshop on Windows, I use GIMP instead, because I have to work on both Windows and Linux, and if I used Photoshop, my skills would not be portable. As an IT professional, the portability of my skills is critical to my career.
Feb 21, 2008 05:58
Adobe needs to understand that they are losing Windows users because they don't support Linux. I don't use Photoshop on Windows, I use GIMP instead, because I have to work on both Windows and Linux, and if I used Photoshop, my skills would not be portable. As an IT professional, the portability of my skills is critical to my career.
Feb 21, 2008 05:58
erasmix says...
So far WINE has made great strides in supporting Photoshop. I'm a landscape photographer and I have been testing CS2 on Wine 0.9.54 for over a month. Despite having a complex processing technique, I have found it very much usable.
Having Google behind this effort will be the catalytic to having a stable on robust desktop to run, not only Photoshop, but many other key applications. I see this as a key step for Linux to emerge as a viable desktop platform.
Feb 21, 2008 10:10
So far WINE has made great strides in supporting Photoshop. I'm a landscape photographer and I have been testing CS2 on Wine 0.9.54 for over a month. Despite having a complex processing technique, I have found it very much usable.
Having Google behind this effort will be the catalytic to having a stable on robust desktop to run, not only Photoshop, but many other key applications. I see this as a key step for Linux to emerge as a viable desktop platform.
Feb 21, 2008 10:10
jjzeidner says...
for a recent interview with Ted Gould on the Open Source Illustrator competitor, Inkscape, go here
www.joshuazeidner.com...
Feb 21, 2008 10:15
for a recent interview with Ted Gould on the Open Source Illustrator competitor, Inkscape, go here
www.joshuazeidner.com...
Feb 21, 2008 10:15
pilatesplusla says...
what a waste of money. Google has been throwing their money away for three years. If they want to invest in something how about getting rid of microsoft? All they would need to do is work on Hyperspace by Pheonix and other bios manufacturers. Then windows would be no more!
www.pilatesplusla.com
Feb 22, 2008 00:47
what a waste of money. Google has been throwing their money away for three years. If they want to invest in something how about getting rid of microsoft? All they would need to do is work on Hyperspace by Pheonix and other bios manufacturers. Then windows would be no more!
www.pilatesplusla.com
Feb 22, 2008 00:47
To post comments, you need to become a member. It's FREE.
