This FAQ answers questions related to the usage of the OS Database.
Q: What is the OS Database?
A: The OS Database is a repository for operating system compatibility information with QEMU. In particular it provides the following information:
(see the Windows NT entry for an example)
- Whether a given operating system works at all with Wine.
- If it is partially working, then which areas of it have problems.
- How to install and get that operating system working best.
And if the operating system you want most to use with QEMU does not work, it lets you vote for it to bring it to the attention of QEMU developers.
Q: What is QEMU?
A:Think of Wine as a Windows compatibility layer. Wine does not require Microsoft Windows, as it is a completely alternative implementation consisting of 100% Microsoft-free code, but it can optionally use native system DLLs if they are available. Wine provides both a development toolkit (Winelib) for porting Windows sources to Unix and a program loader, allowing many unmodified Windows binaries to run on x86-based Unixes, including Linux, FreeBSD, and Solaris.
More information can be found at the Wine FAQ.
Q: What are the benefits of this Application Database?
A: QEMU is a generic and open source machine emulator and virtualizer.
When used as a machine emulator, QEMU can run OSes and programs made for one machine (e.g. an ARM board) on a different machine (e.g. your own PC). By using dynamic translation, it achieves very good performances.
When used as a virtualizer, QEMU achieves near native performances by executing the guest code directly on the host CPU. QEMU supports virtualization when executing under the Xen hypervisor or using the KVM kernel module in Linux. When using KVM, QEMU can virtualize x86, server and embedded PowerPC, and S390 guests.
Q: How does a new operating system get added to the database?
A: Any registered user can submit an application. Use the Submit OS link in the OS DB sidebar to add an entry; it will be processed by an admin before becoming visible to all users. You can make changes to your queued entries by visiting the Your Queued Items page.
Q: How can I submit screenshots?
A: Send those helpful screenshots by clicking on any screenshot image you will see in the specific version page of the application you want to add a screenshot for. If you are not a maintainer, your screenshot will be reviewed and will then be added to the database.
Q: How can I submit how-to's?
A:If you are not a maintainer, you can't create new official How-to's. So the best way to proceed is to post your How-to as a comment in the specific version page of the application of interest. A maintainer might then choose to add your How-to as an official How-to for this database entry.
Q: How do I become an Operating System Database maintainer?
A: Pretty much anyone supporting QEMU is welcome (begged?) to be an application maintainer. Simply click on the button you will find in the application overview or specific version page to send your request. An administrator will then review your proposal and add you to the maintainer's team for this application or version. Once we have a community of maintainers, we hope that community will further refine the policies and procedures.
Q: What is the difference between a super maintainer and a maintainer?
A: A super maintainer maintains an application and all its versions. A maintainer maintains only one specific version of an application.
Q: What is meant by the term ‘vendor’?
A: The vendor is the developer of an operating system.