CodeWeavers updated with Wine 1.2

CodeWeavers this week updated its eponymous virtualization environment that lets Mac users run Windows programs. The update, Version 9.1, supports the latest release of the Wine Project, optimization for Microsoft Office applications and Quicken 2010, the company said. The edition for running Windows games was also updated.

CrossOver Games 9.1 now supports StarCraft II as well as Star Trek Online, along with a wide range of improvements to many other games.

The regular CrossOver update includes improvements to all Microsoft Office versions, improvements in Quicken 2010 support, and a broad range of fixes that should help all applications.

Unlike Apple's BootCamp, Parallels Holdings' Parallels Desktop, and VMware's Fusion, all of which run Windows applications in a copy of Microsoft Windows, CodeWeavers runs Windows apps in its own implementation of the Wind32 API, and doesn't require an installation of Windows. This limits its compatibility and sometimes performance. Still, many popular Windows programs operate in the CrossOver environment.

There are three versions of CrossOver Mac: a Standard edition for individuals, and the Professional edition, which lets sysadmins create package installs of CrossOver and Windows applications for deployment across a network. The Pro license also comes with a license for CrossOver Games.