It only took 15 years but Wine, the open source Windows rewrite, so to speak, that lets Linux run Windows applications natively, has reached its first stable release, Wine 1.0.

Compatibility isn’t perfect, the Wine folk say, and not everything will run (particularly newer apps) but thousands of programs appear to be working just fine. There’s a list of tested program that’s heavy on games.

Both Wine source and binaries will be available.

Wine, which stands for “Wine is not an emulator,” implements the Windows API on top of X, OpenGL and Unix so Windows isn’t needed to run Windows applications.

Microsoft and changes to applications programs themselves have led Wine a merry chase that still continues. The .NET Framework has proven elusive.

Meanwhile, CodeWeavers, the commercializer and driving force behind Wine, has released CrossOver 7.0, which although Crossover is generally behind Wine includes elements and fixes of Wine 1.0.

The 7.0 rev runs Office 2007 (including Outlook 2007), newer versions of Quicken, and the Adobe CS and CS2 line of products, particularly Photoshop, on Mac and Linux.

Codeweavers CEO Jeremy White said in a statement that “We really feel that 1.0 will be a major step toward making Wine an application that will run all Windows applications, and we’re excited for its release.”

One of the areas of greatest enhancement in Wine lies in its significantly enhanced support for ActiveX controls within Internet Explorer.

“A recurring theme we hear is the ability to use CrossOver to access Active-X intensive web pages,” White said. “This upgrade takes a giant step forward by expanding the web sites that can be used on a Linux or Mac system.”

Whether for Linux or Mac CrossOver Standard is priced at $39.95, CrossOver Pro is at $69.95.

On the Mac Crossover is an alternative to Parallels and Boot Camp.