Improved WoW64 Support in WINE 9.0 for 64-bit x86 and Arm

In recent years, various versions of WINE have been released, with the latest iteration being WINE 9.0, which was launched on Tuesday. This release marks a significant milestone, as it signifies the completion of long-term efforts to revamp the modules into the Portable Executable (PE) format and introduce proper separation between the Windows and Unix worlds. As a result, it is now possible to run 32-bit Windows applications on a purely 64-bit Unix installation. The new WoW64 mode allows for the execution of 32-bit Windows applications within a 32-bit Unix process.

While most Linux distributions currently offer only 64-bit editions, they still include support for 32-bit libraries and programs. However, many major players are considering abandoning this support. WINE also functions on Apple macOS, although starting from macOS 10.15 “Catalina,” support for 32-bit software has been discontinued.

The latest version of WINE, 9.0, enables the execution of 32-bit Windows executable files on macOS 11-14 and the ARM64 platform. However, WINE does not provide an emulation library for x86 code on Arm. Therefore, on macOS Arm64, this support is facilitated by the Rosetta 2 translator, while on Linux Arm64, users will need to provide their own solutions, such as FEX-Emu.

The latest WINE version also introduces support for the Wayland display protocol, which is crucial for gamers, streamers, and individuals working with video. Additionally, improvements have been made in PostScript handling, 3D graphics, audio and video support, desktop integration, MSHTML rendering with Gecko, as well as support for Mono and .NET.

Users can choose from different WINE versions. Wine-Stable refers to the stable release typically found in Linux distribution repositories. For those seeking newer features, there is the Wine-Staging branch. There is also the -development branch, which receives new releases every two weeks. To check whether a specific application or game will work with WINE, users can consult the Wine application database or make use of auxiliary tools like the Winetricks script. Those looking for simplified installation options may consider CodeWeavers’ CrossOver, available on various platforms such as Linux, ChromeOS, and Mac.

Article: [link name](https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/14/wine_90_released/)