Q I have been using Linux for about three years; two years running Mandrake and one running Ubuntu. I am trying to convert my other half to use it as well - she already uses OpenOffice.org on her XP machine. I have loaded a disc for her with Ubuntu Dapper Drake but there are two snags. One is that I cannot successfully export MS Money files to KMyMoney: the data files will export to QIF files, but KMyMoney will not import them no matter what I do. It says it is an unrecognised format, probably the Microsoft version of a QIF file. The other problem is that she also uses MS AutoRoute and I cannot find an equivalent for Linux. I was thinking of using Wine as an alternative but I know nothing about running Wine, or how one installs a Microsoft program using it. Any help that you could give to me would be most gratefully received.
A The answer to your first question is to use a different program to convert the files. GnuCash will import Microsoft QIF files, which you can then save out in GnuCash's own format. GnuCash has options to handle several variations on the QIF format (I've successfully imported files from MS Money in the past). KMyMoney has an option to import GnuCash files - I use this because I keep my accounts in GnuCash but like KMyMoney's reporting options. The reason for using GnuCash's own format for saving is that this is a fixed format, whereas QIF files come in quite a variety of flavours.
You could also try the latest version of KMyMoney, released recently - it mentioned improved QIF support. There is a route-planning package for Linux called Navigator, from www.directions.ltd.uk. This is a commercial product that works on x86 Linux and Windows. There's no demo version, so check with the manufacturer for compatibility first. Installing Wine is easy with Ubuntu, there is a package in the Universe repository. Select Settings > Repositories in Synaptic and tick the box for 'Ubuntu 6.06 LTS (binary) Community maintained (Universe)' close the repository windows and hit Reload. Once the reload is complete, use the Search button to find Wine. You only need select the wine package itself. Once Synaptic has installed the package, run winecfg to set things up, although the defaults are fine for most uses. Now you can run a Windows program with
wine /path/to/someprogram.exe
Try the Wine Applications Database at http://appdb.winehq.org for information on compatibility with various programs. You could consider, too, CrossOver Linux, the commercial derivative of Wine from www.codeweavers.com.