diff --git a/documentation/faq.sgml b/documentation/faq.sgml index 539a783a865..872b0516a50 100644 --- a/documentation/faq.sgml +++ b/documentation/faq.sgml @@ -238,6 +238,40 @@ + + + Can I use Wine to make the Windows driver for my network card / + graphics card / scanner / etc. work on Unix? + + + + The goal of Wine is to make it possible to run Windows applications + on Unix, not Windows drivers or VxDs. + + + Drivers and Windows applications belong to different worlds. + Applications run in user mode and use the APIs provided by + the kernel and the other user mode dlls. In contrast, drivers + are loaded in the Windows kernel, i.e. in ring 0 instead of ring + 3, have to deal with specific memory management issues, and use + instructions not available to regular applications. This means + they would not be able to run in Wine since Wine runs entirely + in user mode. Rather you would have to modify the Linux kernel. + But in addition, drivers use a completely different API from + regular Windows applications. So the work performed on Wine would + not even be of any use for such a project. In other words, making + it possible to use Windows drivers or VxDs on Unix would be a + completely separate project. + + + However, if you want to reuse Windows drivers on a non-Microsoft + operating system we recommend that you have a look at + ReactOS. + + + + + Which one of the different Wine packages out there is good for me?