How to test in IE with Linux

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+2 Q:

How to test in IE with Linux

Normally I have two computers to work on - my development machine, running Ubuntu, and a testing machine that has Windows. The testing machine is in surgery, and I need to be able to test in IE8. Unfortunately I can't seem to get it to run under wine. I've tried the IE NetRenderer add-on for Firefox, but all it does is take a screenshot of the page. I have dynamic code (ajax) that I need to be able to test.

Any ideas?

+8 A:

Don't bother trying to run it under Wine - such a test would be invalid anyway.

Just install Windows in a VM. It's easy.

MarkR 2010-09-13 14:47:37

I use VirtualBox on Ubuntu, and it works well. There are even tools you can use to test multiple versions of IE in the same VM... Like this: http://www.spoon.net/Browsers/. Buying an extra copy of Windows will sting, but get a retail version so you can re-install in another VM if something gets corrupted or lost.

grossvogel 2010-09-13 14:51:14

You probably know this, but you need to have a valid Windows license for that VM.

Piskvor 2010-09-13 14:52:07

vmware player is nice, although you would need a valid windows license.

John Boker 2010-09-13 15:17:34

@Piskvor, @John - yeah, that's the kicker. Getting a Windows license...

EmmyS 2010-09-13 17:43:56

@EmmyS: I don't know about your situation, but one of the companies I worked for had several unused WinXP Home licenses - apparently they were bought with the devs' computers, but the devs installed various Linuxes instead; maybe you could be in a similar situation.

Piskvor 2010-09-13 18:32:21

Try using WINE to execute and install Windows Applications like IE.

http://www.winehq.org/

If this ain't working maybe creating Windows on a Virtual Machine like VMWare.

Jordy 2010-09-13 14:47:43

Sorry, but IE is (still) so tangled with the rest of Windows' code that attempts to run it in WINE are an exercise in futility (IOW, it crashes and burns regularly). Windows-in-a-VM is still the only sane way.

Piskvor 2010-09-13 14:51:02

@ Piskvorhttp://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/page/Installation

Jordy 2010-09-13 14:58:53

@Jordy, I tried that as well, and even the versions of IE they have don't work all that well, and they don't have IE8 support.

EmmyS 2010-09-13 15:03:41

@Jordy: Yes, that's the exercise in futility I was talking about. No offense to the brave soul who made this, but any time I've tried that, this IE-on-WINE crashed on any page more complex than about:blank (must have been some cheap wine ;)). Also, a valid Windows license is actually required to install IE (not to install Windows, to install Internet Explorer. Crazy, huh?), so that's just as bad as the VM situation. See this: http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/page/Legal_notices

Piskvor 2010-09-13 18:29:31

+1 A:

Check out these tools - they may help :

http://freelancefolder.com/7-fresh-and-simple-ways-to-test-cross-browser-compatibility/

lucas1000001 2010-09-13 14:50:47

ansaurus

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How to test in IE with Linux

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