Will trains work in an OS other than Windows?
- Thread starter Dep
- Start date
johnwhelan
Well-known member
Some people have got it to run under various flavours of Linux but the big issue is the driver software for the graphics cards.
The Windows drivers are optimised because that is where the market is and the drivers contain proprietary code to help performance. In the Unix world this code would be exposed so they don't have such optimised drivers.
Do you really have to upgrade Windows every few years? TS12 should run fine under XP, Vista never was a suitable operating system for games. If you're buying new hardware the cost of Windows is roughly 5% of the cost of the box for an OEM version which isn't that bad.
The other issue of course is support. They do support Mac operating system and have a version for Android. However Mac don't have a good reputation for Malware resistance nor a good updating system such as Windows has against Malware.
Cheerio John
The Windows drivers are optimised because that is where the market is and the drivers contain proprietary code to help performance. In the Unix world this code would be exposed so they don't have such optimised drivers.
Do you really have to upgrade Windows every few years? TS12 should run fine under XP, Vista never was a suitable operating system for games. If you're buying new hardware the cost of Windows is roughly 5% of the cost of the box for an OEM version which isn't that bad.
The other issue of course is support. They do support Mac operating system and have a version for Android. However Mac don't have a good reputation for Malware resistance nor a good updating system such as Windows has against Malware.
Cheerio John
John: Yeah, I've been checking things out and it looks like I would have to use an emulator to make it work. That's a real PITA. I'm not buying new hardware. I just wondered if a different OS would improve the performance of Trainz. I know that Ubuntu isn't subject to the fragmentation that Windows experiences. But video drivers probably would be a problem. I suppose I could do a dual-install, but that would defeat what I was trying to accomplish. Oh well...it was just a thought
Two things in this thread go against everything I thought I knew.
I thought that because of the very small usage of Mac compared to Windows, nobody bothered to write malware for Macs,so they were relatively free of it.
Also if you have a Mac, you will be updating not only your operating system but all your expensive software every time someone at Apple thinks of a new cute jungle creature's name (Lion, Tiger, Leopard etc). I've had Windows XP for about 5 years and am just now thinking of upgrading to Windows 7 so that I can use more memory. I don't think that is unreasonable.
Mick Berg.
I thought that because of the very small usage of Mac compared to Windows, nobody bothered to write malware for Macs,so they were relatively free of it.
Also if you have a Mac, you will be updating not only your operating system but all your expensive software every time someone at Apple thinks of a new cute jungle creature's name (Lion, Tiger, Leopard etc). I've had Windows XP for about 5 years and am just now thinking of upgrading to Windows 7 so that I can use more memory. I don't think that is unreasonable.
Mick Berg.
cascaderailroad
New member
Why cut off your nose to spite your face ... to purposely sidestep Bill Gates-Microsoft ?
If you buy any OS other than a real live PC ... You are truely nailing your one shoe to the floor (spinning in circles), and painting yourself into a corner.
The same goes for DELL products ... You are shooting yourself in the foot, intentionally !
If you buy any OS other than a real live PC ... You are truely nailing your one shoe to the floor (spinning in circles), and painting yourself into a corner.
The same goes for DELL products ... You are shooting yourself in the foot, intentionally !
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I have nothing against Gates. Heck, he is the epitome of capitalism...design an OS that needs to be constantly updated and upgraded because it is easy to hack into and infect, and make each successive version less and less compatible with previous versions and programs, and force people who "upgrade" to a newer version to buy more expensive hardware to support that version. How could I criticize that? It's the American way in action.
I have a comp that is destined for the dump because it can't run the newer programs. I think I will experiemnt and see if Ubuntu is the way to go. As for Bill Gates and his billions...he can Kiss My Grits.
Gandalf0444
FVRR member
Mac is just as susceptible to getting hacked and infected etc. They have antivirus programs for a reason! It is a common mistake that they are virus free and never ever get any viruses, malware spyware etc.
However they just don't get effected from it nearly as much because of the simple fact...NO ONE really uses a Mac. People do use it yes. But not nearly as many as a Windows based platform. So why bother with the 2% of the population when you can bother the MASSES.
However they just don't get effected from it nearly as much because of the simple fact...NO ONE really uses a Mac. People do use it yes. But not nearly as many as a Windows based platform. So why bother with the 2% of the population when you can bother the MASSES.
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Gandalf0444
FVRR member
I didn't even mean to quote you:hehe: Tis what happens when your mouse button gets stuckWell, that's embellished a little but very true. I know a few people who use them professionally, but almost none in a corporate environment. The people I know who use them professionally are artists and DJs.
I know a lot of people - myself included - desperately yearn for a viable alternative to Microsoft, but Mac sure isn't it.
As for capitalism, Apple is quite capitalist as well, not that that's a bad thing considering the alternatives.
I know a lot of people - myself included - desperately yearn for a viable alternative to Microsoft, but Mac sure isn't it.
As for capitalism, Apple is quite capitalist as well, not that that's a bad thing considering the alternatives.
John: Yeah, I've been checking things out and it looks like I would have to use an emulator to make it work. That's a real PITA. I'm not buying new hardware. I just wondered if a different OS would improve the performance of Trainz. I know that Ubuntu isn't subject to the fragmentation that Windows experiences. But video drivers probably would be a problem. I suppose I could do a dual-install, but that would defeat what I was trying to accomplish. Oh well...it was just a thought
Nvidia provide drivers for Linux, however they are not open source so some Linux users shoot themselves in the foot by not allowing them in their Distributions. I'm pretty sure Ubuntu have them. The NV supplied ones are as good and as easy to install as as any Windoze drivers. OpenGl for me, is better running in Linux than in Windows. ATI drivers however are a bit hit and miss. Nvidia work with the major Linux distributors, ATI like to keep it all a big secret.........
Most people use Wine in Linux or one of it's commercial derivatives to run Windows stuff.
It is not an emulator, it is a set of libraries that run natively in Linux that attempt to achieve, without any reverse engineering, the same functions as Windows, thus avoiding the need to run an emulated system. Works moderately well for many programs and quite a few games, HL2 and Unreal for example and gets better with evey update. It uses the Linux drivers and talks to the hardware direct, without any emulation which is what you get if using a free Emulator and is not often very successful.
Go ahead with a dual install, Linux takes up a fraction of the space that Windows does, if you set it up correctly you can run Windows stuff using Wine directly from the Windows partition and experiment in getting Trainz to run ........... Or have a play with a live CD DVD which what you install from anyway.
I use Linux for most internet related stuff as its pretty much untouchable by virus's designed to run in Windows, It's as good as any Windows Sandbox.
Have a look at the apps database at WineHQ to see if Wine would be any use to you.
Personally I use PCLinuxOS which I have had 2009 running in albeit with a slightly flaky Content manager, I haven't bothered trying it since I installed Win7 though, it's the most stable and trouble free windows yet.
No I'm not anti Windows either, all OS's have their good and bad points, I just use whatever is suitable for whatever I'm doing.
Edit, just seen the link about Ubuntu's Nvidia driver policy, suggest trying PCLinuxOS or Mandriva who provide them from the word go.
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Well I am in Ubuntu right now as I post in this thread. Changeover was fast and easy. I panicked a bit at first because the mouse stopped working and I had to use Tab to move around. But after it installed all the hardware, the mouse worked fine. This comp is so old I had to install a card in the motherboard to use USB 2.0. So Ubuntu had to recognize it before it started working. Internat connection was VERY easy as it picked up my wireless terminal on it's own. All I had to do was sign in the password.
Nvidia driver was a snap to download and install too. Audio driver installed automatically.
Web browser is Firefox. Next step is to try and install TS2010 and see if it will work. It may not install because the specs on this comp may not be adequate. I'll report back.
Dep
Nvidia driver was a snap to download and install too. Audio driver installed automatically.
Web browser is Firefox. Next step is to try and install TS2010 and see if it will work. It may not install because the specs on this comp may not be adequate. I'll report back.
Dep
amigacooke
Well-known member
amigacooke
Well-known member
My iMac started with Leopard, upgraded to Snow Leopard and now it's running Tiger. Upgrade costs, less than £50.
My iMac started with Leopard, upgraded to Snow Leopard and now it's running Tiger. Upgrade costs, less than £50.
That's a strange step backwards - you went from 10.5 to 10.6, then back two versions to 10.4??
If it wasn't then how could Windows 7 be suitable?
This isn't the only review site that came to this conclusion after extensive testing of Vista and Windows 7 -
http://www.guru3d.com/article/windows-7-vs-vista-vga-game-performance/
Sorry, I didn't intend for your thread to get hijacked into a Windows v. Mac war.
Mick Berg.
LOL...no sweat. Both systems have their advocates.
