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I am wondering if there is a way to run Ubuntu applications from Windows. I have heard of WINE, which emulates Windows in order to run Windows applications on Ubuntu. Is their a Windows application that would allow you to run Ubuntu applications on Windows?

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I suggest you install Ubuntu in a VM in Windows. – Emerson Hsieh Jun 27 '12 at 2:12

closed as off topic by Tachyons, Uri Herrera, jokerdino♦, jrg♦ Jul 12 '12 at 14:10

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2 Answers

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The general question to this is NO, however, there is a but:

  • Some applications are cross-platform so you can find their Windows versions. For example, there's KDE for Windows initiative which supposedly allows you to run KDE programs on Windows

  • Mostly for command-line programs, there's a compatibility layer called Cygwin

  • you can run Ubuntu programs in a virtual machine in Windows.

But generally you can not take an arbitrary .deb and install and run it in Windows.

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up vote 1 down vote

There's also Xwindows, which would allow you to run applications from the Ubuntu server on your windows desktop. It can take a little setting up - the key is to understand that -you- are the server and the Ubuntu server is contacting you - but once it's set up I think it will do what you're looking for.

Check out Google for XMing, that's a classic XWindows solution. Cygwin has XWin support as well. I think it will meet your needs.

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