Smart Partner: OS/2 To Run 32-Bit Windows Apps?

"This Isn't Emulation
Odin enables 32-bit Windows applications to run in OS/2. The technology, which borrows heavily from WINE(Windows on Linux), and the Open32 libraries developed jointly by IBM and Lotus (back when they were separate companies) does not rely on a virtual machine. Such solutions (like Connectix's Virtual PC on the Macintosh or WinOS2 under OS/2) run the Windows operating system, with all its license, support and memory requirements. Odin runs a Windows application by converting the EXE and DLL files into OS/2's format, executing the application as a native OS/2 program. Windows isn't running. Source code isn't necessary. Instead, the Windows APIs are replicated by Odin's conversion tools, and the API calls are mapped to the OS/2 equivalents."

"...all the work has been accomplished by a couple of dozen volunteers working on the open-source project in their spare time. That business model is currently changing. The core team of the Odin Project is beginning to work with large corporations who need to run one or two enterprise Windows applications. If Odin can run those applications under OS/2, those corporations can avoid costly operating-system migrations. Plus, the consulting fees will fund further community development."

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