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    Mac compatiable with windows software

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by mmharris_86, Nov 2, 2006.

  1. mmharris_86

    mmharris_86 Newbie

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    I've heard alot about Macs recently (no viruses) however, I have alot of Friends who design their own programs and run them on windows. Would I be able to run these programs on a Macbook Pro
     
    mmharris_86, Nov 2, 2006
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  2. cashmonee

    cashmonee Notebook Virtuoso NBR Reviewer

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    No. There are many reasons why, but the main reason is the lack of a Windows API. May I ask what the programs do?
     
    cashmonee, Nov 2, 2006
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  3. Kaylya

    Kaylya Notebook Geek

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    Depending on how your friends have written the programs it may or may not be possible for them to work on Macs. It is possible to develop stuff for different platforms. Without knowing what languages your friends are using for development or what the programs do, it's hard to be more specific. It's possible that the programs are written in Java and will run fine on a Mac; it's possible that they've developed it in such a way that it would be easier to start from scratch then to get rid of the dependencies on Windows. And then there's in betweens - runs on Mac with bugs, needs to be recompiled on a Mac, needs some work done on the UI but it's done in a way that's fairly easy to port..

    Of course, the other thing is, it is possible to install Windows on a Mac these days, in which case your friends' programs should run just fine, but it would require you installing Windows.
     
    Kaylya, Nov 2, 2006
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  4. hollownail

    hollownail Individual 11

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    Yup, if the programs are written in java, the bytecode that is compiled will be compatable with any system that has a Java virtual machine (translates the bytecode to machinde code).
    As far as C or C++, it depends on what they have as a visual interface. recompiling on a mac is the best way to see. Anything that uses DirectX will not be compatable with OS X.
    I don't do C/C++ development, only Java, PHP, ASP.Net, Prolog, Perl and a few others, so most are cross system compatable.
     
    hollownail, Nov 2, 2006
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  5. ogando_jose

    ogando_jose Notebook Consultant

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    Really depends. If they use something like QT (C++) you may... or gtk, or something simmilar. You should ask them.
     
    ogando_jose, Nov 3, 2006
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