SAINT PAUL, MN - (October 25, 2005) - CodeWeavers, Inc., the leading
Windows-to-Linux software developer, today announced the release of CrossOver
Office 5.0, its latest upgrade to the number one product for running Windows
applications natively within the Linux operating system. Incorporating performance
upgrades found in Wine 0.9, the CrossOver Office open source equivalent announced
separately today by The Wine Project (www.winehq.org),
CrossOver Office 5.0 now ensures reliable operation of Microsoft Office 2003 as well
as vastly improved installation capabilities for most Windows applications.
As a major technology contributor to The Wine Project, much of CodeWeavers'
Windows-to-Linux programming work is reflected in both CrossOver Office 5.0 and
Wine 0.9. However, CrossOver Office 5.0 also offers a number of unique and
proprietary advantages including a new "Bottles" feature that enables the
creation of a virtualized, separate Windows platform on Linux machines.
CrossOver Office has become the essential productivity utility for millions
of Linux users around the world by supporting the seamless, dependable
installation and operation of scores of top-name Windows applications natively
within Linux. Microsoft Office, Outlook, Visio, and Internet Explorer, as well
as Adobe's Photoshop, Macromedia's Dreamweaver, Intuit's Quicken and QuickBooks, and
Lotus Notes, are just some of the many popular applications that can be used on
Linux desktops via CrossOver Office.
"CrossOver Office 5.0 is a major step forward for the Windows-to-Linux
movement. Its improved install capability alone makes it far easier for Linux
desktop users to operate independently in a Windows-dominant world," said
Jeremy White, chief executive officer of CodeWeavers. "We're confident this new
iteration of CrossOver Office will benefit our enterprise users in
particular-not just for its Office 2003 support, but also for its other
improvements that make life easier in multi-user Linux organizations."
New "Bottles" Capability
Realizing that enterprises are called upon to support specialized Windows
applications that may not be certified for CrossOver Office, Version 5.0 offers
a brand-new virtualization technology called Bottles. With Bottles, IT staffs
can create custom packages to deploy Windows applications. The capability allows
enterprises to manage and isolate Windows applications from other applications
supported in Linux with or without the assistance of CrossOver Office.
"Bottles offer a huge amount of confidence and convenience to IT
staffs who haven't yet implemented CrossOver Office because they have legacy
applications that require one or more flavors of Windows," White noted. "Like
a backwards compatibility manager, Bottles create a favorable environment for all
of a company's important software. Now administrators can effectively install,
manage, and update their companies' entire Windows application inventory within
CrossOver Office."
Other operational improvements to CrossOver Office 5.0 include a better
overall visual presentation, e.g., smoother page refreshes and fewer graphic
artifacts. The new software also provides better support for the DirectX API.
Latest Wine Technology
The Wine Project is a worldwide open source programming community
dedicated to creating a practical implementation of the Win32 API under Unix.
By working alongside, and contributing to, The Wine Project, CodeWeavers is
able to provide CrossOver Office 5.0 users virtually all the improvements found
in new Wine 0.9.
Wine 0.9 is a major release and the first architecturally complete
iteration of Wine. It offers a robust and fully-functional core architecture, with
minimal-to-no reliance on Microsoft components. It was CodeWeavers' work on the
MS Installer (Microsoft Installer) and COM (Component Object Model) portions of
Wine that has enabled the increased likelihood of Windows application installs in
both Wine 0.9 and CrossOver Office 5.0.
Pricing, Discounts
CrossOver Office 5.0 Standard is now available for $39.95.
CrossOver Office 5.0 Professional, the enterprise version of the product, is priced
at $69.95, with volume discounts available. To download any of the CrossOver
Office 5.0 family of products, or to learn more, visit
www.codeweavers.com.
About CodeWeavers, Inc.:
Founded in 1996 as a general software consultancy, CodeWeavers today focuses on the development of Wine and other Linux programming solutions. The company's goal is to bring expanded market opportunities for Windows software developers by making it easier, faster, and more painless to port Windows software to Linux. CodeWeavers is recognized as a leader in open-source Windows porting technology, and maintains development offices in Minnesota, California, the Netherlands, and Germany. The company is privately held. For more information about CodeWeavers, log on to www.codeweavers.com.
CrossOver Office is a trademark of CodeWeavers, Inc. All other technologies and brand names are used for information only and remain trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
