I had to test/fix something at work and I set up a Windows VM because it was a bug specific to Windows users. Once I was done, I thought, “Maybe I should keep this VM for something.” but I couldn’t think of anything that wasn’t a game (which probably wouldn’t work well in a VM anyway) or some super specific enterprise software I don’t really use.

I also am more familiar with the Apple ecosystem than the Microsoft one so maybe I’m just oblivious to what’s out there. Does anyone out there dual boot or use a VM for a non-game, non-niche industry Windows exclusive program?

  • andreas@lemmy.korfmann.xyz
    0·
    1 year ago

    For work I heavily rely on the Adobe creative suite (Photoshop and Premiere Pro specifically). I maintain Linux servers (and develop for them) and maintain Linux desktops at both home and for work, but the lack of any alternatives to Photoshop specifically has resulted in me still daily driving Windows (VMs really hamper workflow with regards to GPU passthrough and although I’ve successfully set up Looking Glass on my workstation in the past, running 2 gpus isn’t practical). Yes I’ve tried the alternatives and while Premiere Pro has usable alternatives, Photoshop does not. GIMP is incredible given that it is FOSS but the UI and feature set is almost unusable (for me at least).

    • Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works
      0·
      1 year ago

      I found photoGIMP helped a bit on the UI aspect, but it still does have a lot of weird quirks that are just easier on photoshop

      • andreas@lemmy.korfmann.xyz
        0·
        1 year ago

        thanks, I’ll check out photoGIMP. been trying desperately to make GIMP work as I wanna ditch Windows before they stop supporting 10, sooner if I can. I made the switch on everything else already.

  • RageAgainstTheRich@lemmy.world
    0·
    1 year ago

    Xbox app for game pass. But i would cancel that if i didnt also needed windows for Sunshine streaming. Linux REFUSES with everything its got, to make hardware acceleration work.

    Oh and geforce now, which is still since release broken on linux when using hardware acceleration since colors close to black are just black. So darker games do not work.

  • naeap@sopuli.xyz
    0·
    1 year ago

    Some industry hardware stuff sadly …

    Datalogic DL.Code, Siemens TIA, etc.

    If someone has a solution I’m all up for it.
    Was some time ago, that I tried with wine, so maybe something has changed

  • delirious_owl@discuss.online
    0·
    1 year ago

    The only reason I have windows is to test apps that I write.

    The apps are cross platform. I use it in Linux. But I also have users in Windows, so I just fire up a windows VM for testing releases. Thats it.

  • Hellmo_luciferrari@lemm.ee
    0·
    1 year ago

    There are some programs I still use that are designed for Windows, but use cases are “niche” or at very least specialized:

    1. Guitar Pro 8 - Guitar Tab software

    2. Line 6 HX Edit - Helix Settings Editor

    3. Line 6 Powercab Edit - Amp Settings Editoe

    4. Line 6 Updater - Firmware Updater for Line 6 Products

    5. Steelseries GG - Configuration Software for Steelseries Peripherals

    6. Numerous VSTs and other Audio Plugins

    These are just what I remember I use off the top of my head.

    I do use Guitar Pro 8 with Wine, but the others won’t work through Wine. I did try to use the others with a Windows KVM through QEMU but I ultimately gave up and left one windows workstation because of my issues with my Nvidia RTX 3090.

  • DLSantini@lemmy.ml
    0·
    1 year ago

    MusicBee, Stardock Fences, obligatory Adobe mention, all VR everything (unless something has changed recently, I haven’t looked in while).

    • TDCN@feddit.dk
      0·
      1 year ago

      I used it a lot while developing a Linux program for a raspberry pi with a colleague and was blown away how fun and easy it was to use… Untill I started daily driving Linux and realised how much stuipd window wsl setup and work I could have skipped by just using Linux directly… Lol I was missing out. Now I just daily drive Linux and never looking back to wsl

      • lightnegative@lemmy.world
        0·
        1 year ago

        Mah man! The only people recommending WSL for Linux development are the ones that have bought into the Microsoft ecosystem, don’t know any better and crucially also dont care to know any better

  • dev_null@lemmy.ml
    0·
    1 year ago

    Games work quite well in a VM, with GPU passthrough. I use a Windows VM for VR games. The non-game program here being the drivers for my VR headset, which only work on Windows. The games themselves would probably work fine on Linux, so that’s not the issue, but without drivers it’s a no go.

  • spacebanana@lemmy.world
    0·
    1 year ago

    Except for video games, all software I use daily is open source and cross platform by now, but when college demanded for me to use Adobe software, I would boot my Win 10 VM. I also boot that VM to test if the software im developing works well on Windows. I also run my Logitech mouse software in a VM with USB passthrough.

    Besides games, I think the only Windows program I run with wine is a tool to extract the BGM from the official Touhou games.

    Before I had a 3DS, I would use a Windows tool on my VM to decrypt my totally legally acquired ROMs

  • Akinzekeel@lemmy.world
    0·
    1 year ago

    I have a Windows 11 VM which I keep around. I was forced to use it for iTunes because I needed to sync my old photos onto the phone (fortunately a one time process).

    I also played around with RemoteApp because I wanted to use Visual Studio or Office on Linux through the Windows VM, but I have not managed to get it working.

    • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
      0·
      1 year ago

      Why couldn’t you just copy your photos? If you need special software to access them or they are stored in the cloud they are not your photos.