CrossOver Mac is one of the several ways to run Windows applications on a Mac. The advantage that it has over Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, or Boot Camp is that it doesn’t require a copy of Windows. The downside is that not all applications will work.
CrossOver Linux is a customized, commercial version of Wine, the popular software that allows you to run many Windows applications on Linux (e.g., Ubuntu, et al.).
On October 28, 2008, the folks at CodeWeavers are making either of these products—in its downloadable, professional version—free of charge for one day only (though I successfully downloaded it tonight at at 8:00 PM PST).
Here’s what they say,
We are giving away all of our software for free on Tuesday, October 28th, 2008. This is a fully working, fully supported copy of either CrossOver Mac Professional, or CrossOver Linux Professional. No hooks, tricks, timebombs, or gimmicks: it’s the real deal.
Here’s how to get it:
- Go to http://lameduck.codeweavers.com/free/ and enter your email address. You’ll receive a serial number via email.
- Go to http://register.codeweavers.com/ and enter your serial number. You’ll receive an email with instructions on how to log in and download your software.
- Go to http://www.codeweavers.com/account/, change your password, and go to My Downloads and download the appropriate trial version of the software.
- Install the trial software and unlock it within the application with your email address and password to upgrade it to the full professional version.
At the My Downloads page, you’ll read this note:
Due to high demand during the Lame Duck Free Day, we have temporarily disabled the unlocked builds normally available on this page.
At this time we are offering downloads of our trial version available from our world wide network of mirrors. Please be aware that the trial version can be unlocked to the full version from within the software itself. So you are not missing out on any features this way.
Once the traffic returns to normal levels you can return to this page at anytime if you still wish to download the fully unlocked builds.
I can verify that downloading the trial version and unlocking it from within the application does successfully upgrade it to the full professional version, though it took a few minutes for the registration to go through. Be patient.
Find out why they are giving it away and other pertinent details at The Unofficial Apple Weblog or in the official Codeweavers press release.
HT: Karl Kleinpaste
