Google releases Picasa for Linux -- and 100+ Wine patches

NewsForge ^ | Thursday May 25, 2006 (03:00 AM GMT) | By: Robin 'Roblimo' Miller

[N3WBI3]

Picasa is a photo organizing and editing tool from Google that does most of what most people need to do with their digital pictures. Now Picasa, previously a Windows-only program, has binaries available for most popular GNU/Linux distributions. The Linux version of Picasa is still a beta release, but it's ready to handle photo storage, organizing, and light photo editing on your Linux computer.

Even if you don't want to use Picasa, Google's creation of the Linux version may help make your Linux computer more versatile. The Picasa Linux port is being made with Wine, and in the process more than 100 patches are being contributed back to the community.

Google spokesperson Chris DiBona says, "At the end of this, a lot of people will be able to use Wine who weren't able to before."

Google hired CodeWeavers to do much of the work needed to get Picasa to run on Linux with Wine, but long-time Wine community contributor Dan Kegel also helped; he works for Google.

According to DiBona, the Picasa Linux beta release currently lacks these features:

* CD Burning * TiVo Export * Support for languages other than English * Hello™ instant picture chat

Picasa does not work with SELinux due to problems with camera recognition caused by SELinux's security features.

DiBona cautions all downloaders: "This is a beta version. We're expecting bugs." But he also says that, except for the features specifically noted as not working, this is a fully-functional program, ready for everyday use.

And again, even if you have no interest in Picasa, it looks like even those of us who haven't tried Wine in a while should start keeping an eye on it again. The Google-contributed code may mean a whole new level of functionality for anyone who must use "Windows-only" software but wants to run nothing but GNU/Linux on his or her PC.

Picasa is available here for these GNU/Linux distributions:

* Debian Sid and Etch * Fedora Core 4 and 5 * Mandriva 2005 and 2006 * Red Hat (current versions) * Linspire 5.0 * SUSE 9.3 and 10 * Ubuntu 5.x

[MikefromOhio]

After reading the rest of the thread, I won't bother. Explaining to you the difference would be like explaining to the liberal media that there's good news in Iraq.

Thus called on this issue, Iggle won't ever comment back to you again on this thread. And it you continue to blow him up, he will ping the mod/hit abuse, to have the thread pulled and with it, all of the evidence. That way, his employer (Bill Gates as if it wasn't already obvious) won't know how poorly he ALWAYS does on these threads.

[zeugma]

The troll hasn't been particularly active recently, as you'll notice from looking at some tech threads earlier this week and last, where there was actual civil discussions in them

[rzeznikj at stout]

True, true...

If necessary, we'll lather, rinse, and repeat...8^)

[ol painless]

GE, Is this the person you are talking about? I found his picture on the web.

[ExDemSince92]

I'm going to raise my hand so numbskull won't be totally alone.

Actually, I think hardware virtualization is the only real answer to the Windows on Linux problem.

I'll say one thing for the Wine guys though, I am mega-impressed. I never thought they would get as far as they did.

[ExDemSince92]

Are you really this ignorant? Good thing you're studing political science and not a real science.

And does it not sting at least a little bit knowing that a political science major obviously knows more about the subject than you do?

Time and time again, you've made it patently clear that even the Amish have more tech-savvy than you. Yet, you continue to don the 'kick-me' sign and troll these discussions.

You don't have to answer this of course, but, you're one of those guys who pays a woman in a leather corset to ball-gag and walk all over you in stiletto heels come date night, aren't you? Do you call her "Mommy" or simply bark like a dog?

If it were in my power to e-mail you a clue, I certainly would.

[Salo]

An obvious photoshop - no one loves GE: ever her momma fed her with a slingshot.

[MikefromOhio]

Nah I only question it when your English is so bad it becomes obvious it's not your native language. Looks like I'm not the only one.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1638545/posts?page=290#290

Yeah that's it Iggle, put up posts from people who've been banned to make your points. Hell beyond that, MAYBE trying to tell whose native language is what through TYPING is about as stupid and trying to sell to us that Vista won't have any security holes.....

[rzeznikj at stout]

This one's a keeper...8^)

[FLAMING DEATH]

"Engineer"

Why do I get this picture of Iggle dressed in a conductor's suit, driving the "Tot Train" by the food court in the mall?