Actually, I get more FPS running WoW on Linux than I had on Windows.. The setback was the crashes, because WoW was originally made for less than 2 gig RAM.. and happened on both Linux AND Windows, was overcame with someone that made a small indy patch that changed the original WoW.exe to use the +LMB of the PC’s full RAM (in my case 16 gig).
The Biggest difference when running a game (or a heave resource app like Photoshop), is the background. Windows has A LOT of stuff running in the background, whereas Linux doesn’t.
The DirectX is still an issue (most replace that with OpenGL, but it is also becoming aged).
It IS possible to run either the Linux replacements D3D OR the DirectX(WIN) (DX9-DX11), but is a real pain to get it working. I actually had it working perfect once (DX11) and was amazed in the difference between Win and Linux... I wish I could remember how I did it (was about a year ago.. and reinstalled/upgraded since then).
WOT looks like a big big download
Linux has more running in the background now than it has before and a lot of us turn all of the extra crap off when we need all the resources...but yes your point is valid and that is why it is frustrating to still need Windows to game.
I'm not sure what you mean by "most replace that with open GL". You can't replace what the game was written to use and most of the high end games use DX10 or 11.
Anyway, I used to spend hours tweaking my config.sys and autoexec.bats even playing with jumpers to get a game to work, and I enjoyed it. I still have special boot disks I made just to play Privateer. These days I just want to start a game without any fuss and use my increasingly small amount of leisure time actually playing. On a similar note I don't want to play only old games. Will I be able to buy splinter cell blacklist for Linux? No. Can I play some game made 5 years ago on Linux? Probably, almost always if I'm willing to play around with it.
That isn't good enough.