by Ezekiel Keator (glamdring)

What is PlayOnLinux ?

From the site: (http://www.playonlinux.com)

PlayOnLinux is a piece of software which allows you to easily install and use numerous games and apps designed to run with Microsoft® Windows®.

Few games are compatible with GNU/Linux at the moment and it certainly is a factor preventing the migration to this operating system. PlayOnLinux brings a cost-free, accessible and efficient solution to this problem.

What are PlayOnLinux's features?

Here is a non-exhaustive list of the interesting points to know:

        

1. You don't have to own a Windows® license to use PlayOnLinux.
2. PlayOnLinux is based on Wine, and so profits from all its features yet it keeps the user from having to deal with its complexity.
3. PlayOnLinux is free software.
4. PlayOnLinux uses Bash and Python.

Nevertheless, PlayOnLinux has some bugs, as every piece of software:

        

1. Occasional performance decrease (image may be less fluid and graphics less detailed).
2. Not all games are supported. Nevertheless, you can use our manual installation module.

My personal use:

I use PlayOnlinux for more than just my games, I use it for most of my Wine based needs. One of my favorite things about PlayOnLinux is the simplicity of managing Wine. By simply clicking the configure button you get a pleasant GUI that allows you to manager your Wine drives.

It also has a nice list of applications you can install which have preconfigured settings targeted to that specific program You can also create your own PlayOnLinux scripts, too. Throughout most of my tutorials, I will be taking advantage of PlayOnLinux. Although if you prefer not to use it, they can all be done in regular Wine too!

Getting PlayOnLinux:

The simplest way to get PlayOnLinux is through Synaptic package manager. You can find this under “Software Center” of your menu. After launching Synaptic, simply search for “PlayOnLinux” in the search bar and mark it for installation. You will then find PlayOnLinux in “More Applications” under “Emulators” in your menu.