CodeWeavers, Inc. has announced the release of CrossOver Office
Version 2.0, which enables Linux users to run almost all of
Microsoft Office XP, Adobe Photoshop 7, and Microsoft Access
without the need for a Windows emulator or OS license.
In addition, the new release will accommodate double-byte
languages, allowing Japanese, Chinese, and Korean versions of
Windows applications to operate under CrossOver Office.
The release, which was originally scheduled for April 14, will
run all Office XP components save for Outlook XP. CodeWeavers has
indicated that this capability will be present in the next version
of CrossOver Office.
In addition to Office XP, Adobe Photoshop, and Microsoft Access,
CrossOver Office supports Lotus Notes; Intuit’s Quicken; Microsoft
Outlook (pre XP), Visio, Internet Explorer; and more.
“With Version 2.0 of CrossOver Office, CodeWeavers is expanding
its support for today’s most in-demand professional applications,”
said Jeremy White, CodeWeavers founder and CEO, in a press
statement. “CrossOver Office continues to prove its value at many
of the world’s most progressive companies due to its reliability
and ease of use-not to mention its ability to lower costs
throughout the enterprise.”
Cal Erickson, an Independent Professional Photographer, agreed.
“CrossOver’s support of Photoshop will be a key component in many
firms’ strategies to move towards a pure Linux production
environment.” Erickson said. “In the graphics industry, being able
to work in Photoshop is a fundamental requirement. With CrossOver,
they now get the best of both worlds.”
By eliminating the need for Windows emulators and Microsoft OS
licensing fees, CodeWeavers contends that CrossOver Office saves
Linux-based organizations significant software investment costs.
The company believes that enterprises save two ways: the low costs
associated with Linux, plus direct access to Windows-based products
without purchasing additional transitional software.
Double-byte language support opens a large and potentially very
receptive Linux market in the Pacific Rim to CrossOver sales.
“Linux is a huge opportunity in countries like China, Japan, and
Korea. We feel that CrossOver’s new double-byte support will
significantly enhance our sales efforts in these very important,
very Linux-friendly markets,” said White.
CrossOver Office Version 2.0 supports all major Linux
distributions including Red Hat Linux 9, Mandrake Linux 9.0, and
SuSE Linux 8.1. The product is priced at $54.95 per use, with
workgroup, site, and enterprise license discounts available.
CodeWeavers’ CrossOver Office Version 2.0 is currently available
for purchase from the CodeWeavers website.