HM on Linux with WINE

[_Loki_]

I'm on XP & support for it runs out soon, but I don't want to go to 7 !!

I'm bored with having to fix conflicts between various apps & configure firewalls etc etc. All the Micro$oft security updates are doing my head in

***************************

I don't know how realistic I'm being - what I want to do (if possible) is...

** Use a stripped down OS with no apps except those necessary to...
- Connect to the www
- run HM
- run postgreSQL
- run poker site s/ware
- perform daily (?) HH data backups

** I'M HOPING I CAN DO AWAY WITH...
- firewall
- Antivirus s/ware
- Updates

*************************************

** I want to build/buy a dedicated poker PC which will only access trusted sites such as here & PokerStars
** My idea at the moment is to use some version of Linux & run WINE or similar.
** It is my impression from reading that I could have a very fast system running Linux
** I'm not a computer whiz so I would need the OS to have a very user-friendly GUI

QUESTIONS
1] Does running a Window$ emulater inside Linux mean I would lose the performance & stability that Linux supposedly offers ?
2] Would I end up messing around trying to fix Linux & not have a simple life ?
3] Is anyone here doing this (or similar) & could I have your comments ?

I thought I'd ask here first because I don't know who to ask in the Linux community who plays online poker or uses HM

Michael

[netsrak]

Read this for the beginning http://www.holdemmanager.net/forum/s...highlight=Wine
and come back if you have further questions.

[_Loki_]

Hi Netsrak

I went to your link - thank you:

Holdemmanager needs a windows system to run.
I use the following Ubuntu configuration:

Ubuntu PC with Postgresql 8.3 running.
Holdemmanager in a windows virtual box connected to the Postgresql server database.
I don't know if it is possible to run HM with wine but i would expect problems because of the Hud.

Can you tell me more about windows virtual box ?
Why do you use it ?
Can you post some beginner links so I can read up on the subject ?
Another poster in that thread mentions VM which I suppose means Virtual Machine ?

Michael

[netsrak]

Virtualbox (www.virtualbox.org) and VMWare (www.vmware.com) are virtualisation programs.
You use them to let one operating system run under another one.

For example a windows installation under linux.

[_Loki_]

Virtualbox (www.virtualbox.org) and VMWare (www.vmware.com) are virtualisation programs.
You use them to let one operating system run under another one.

For example a windows installation under linux.

** So WINE isn't a virtualisation program ?
** Do you think a casual user like me can use Ubuntu easily or do I need to know command line stuff & scripting ?
** With Ubuntu can I leave security behind since I will only visit a few sites ?
What progs do you use for virus protection ? none ?

Michael

[netsrak]

Wine is a Windows virtualisation too but i would not recommend it for playing poker and using HM because there will be problems with the HUD.

You don't need to much IT experience but thats hard to say. The Ubuntu (Linux) community is very big and will help you with a lot of problems. But i would not recommend to switch over totally as first step. You should have a Windows PC available too.

I use a virtual machine (in virtual box) without any virus scanner because i only use it for playing poker.
Mail, Internet etc. i have in my Ubuntu and i dont have a virus scanner in use there too.

[_Loki_]

Thanks for being so helpful Netsrak - really appreciated !

I use a virtual machine (in virtual box) without any virus scanner because i only use it for playing poker.
Mail, Internet etc. i have in my Ubuntu and i dont have a virus scanner in use there too

I have a spare machine. I will study the links you posted earlier & come up with a plan based on what you use

I will then see what you think

Before I jump in the water I will test the temperature

** I imagine sorting out the drivers can be a pain ?
** I watch a lot of poker videos - Is there an application add-on in Ubuntu for that ?

Michael

[netsrak]

Drivers are no problem. Everything is available.

Videos are no problem too.

[The Minder]

Wine can't keep up with all the changes to the poker site clients, HEM and Postgress so you're better off dumping it.

I run Ubuntu and have XP Sp2 in a Virtualbox guest. I DO NOT update Windows nor do I run anti-virus in the guest. The guest only runs poker site clients, HEM and an ODBC link to postgres on linux. I DO NOT operate a browser on the Guest. If by some miracle I do get a virus on the XP guest, I just wipe the guest and start again with no loss of data.

If you do not update XP beyond SP2 you don't get annoyed by that pesky 'licence activation' crap and can install as many XP guests as you want with the same key. You must get to SP2 however as I remember Roy saying you need to be running a certain version of the .NET framework for HEM to work and that .NET version requires SP2.

My 2c worth.

[_Loki_]

Wine can't keep up with all the changes to the poker site clients, HEM and Postgress so you're better off dumping it.

I run Ubuntu and have XP Sp2 in a Virtualbox guest. I DO NOT update Windows nor do I run anti-virus in the guest. The guest only runs poker site clients, HEM and an ODBC link to postgres on linux. I DO NOT operate a browser on the Guest. If by some miracle I do get a virus on the XP guest, I just wipe the guest and start again with no loss of data.

If you do not update XP beyond SP2 you don't get annoyed by that pesky 'licence activation' crap and can install as many XP guests as you want with the same key. You must get to SP2 however as I remember Roy saying you need to be running a certain version of the .NET framework for HEM to work and that .NET version requires SP2.

My 2c worth.

Thanks The Minder

I have XP pro on both my machines that I got from auction with no M$ CD. I think I'll find a CD of XP home somewhere & take it from there. I'm going to spend some time first finding the best way to load ubuntu. Both my machines are only 40Gb laptops & I don't have the space for partitioning to try out ubuntu etc in only part of a 40Gb Hard Drive. I will look about & see if I can get the Linux on CD.

No doubt I will be posting back here with questions as I'm fairly clueless at the moment

Michael