Windows apps on Linux: Wine 3.0 is out now with Direct3D 10, 11 support
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Wine 3.0 is now available to help you run Windows applications and games on Linux, macOS, and BSD systems.
Wine -- or 'Wine is Not an Emulator' -- is a compatibility layer that implements the Windows API on top of Unix and Linux, to help you run Windows apps when needed.
Currently, about 25,000 applications are compatible with Wine, with the most popular all being games, including Final Fantasy XI, Team Fortress 2, EVE, and StarCraft.
As per the open-source project's annual release cycle, Wine 3.0 arrives almost exactly a year after Wine 2.0, packing more than 6,000 changes and a few key improvements.
The main changes include Direct3D 10 and 11 support; the Direct3D command stream; the Android graphics driver; and an improved DirectWrite and Direct2D support. Links to the source code and binary packages for supported operating systems are available from WineHQ.
Wine 3.0 implements a number of key features from Direct3D 10 and 11, the Windows graphics API for apps targeting Windows 8 and above.
Wine 3.0 arrives almost exactly a year after Wine 2.0, packing more than 6,000 changes and a few key improvements.
OpenGL core contexts in Direct3D are used by default for Direct 3D 10 and 11 applications on AMD and Intel graphics cards, making it easier for Mesa OpenGH drivers. There are also a lot of Direct2D graphics features implemented.
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Wine developers note that Direct3D 12, support for Android Vulkan, as well as OpenGL ES support to enable Direct3D on Android have been deferred to the next release.
Still, a number of Android features have made it. Now Wine can be built as an Android APK. An Android graphics driver is implemented but only allows full-screen desktop mode. Wine 3.0 also implements a full audio driver. There is also OpenGL ES API support, which means Direct3D for Android isn't supported yet.
DirectWrite features include support for trailing line trimming signs in both character and word modes; cluster wrapping mode; and oblique and bold simulation in bitmap rendering mode.
There are also improvements for internet and network, cryptography, Arm platforms, built-in applications, and tools.
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