re: Windows Hack on an Aspire
For CAD under Linux, check out http://www.tech-edv.co.at/lunix/CADlinks.html for a few choices.
As for *.EXE files, these are not specifically Windows files, but more specifically Microsoft EXEcutable files. There are many ways to run these files, Wine (http://www.winehq.org/) is a nice way to add the Windows Application Programming Interface. The API allows Windows to EXEcute programs with the appropriate resources (eg Printer, Keyboard, Speaker, Network, etc.). For something as small as the Aspire, you might want to "fine tune" what resources are being used with a smaller, more specific API program.
Check out http://www.mozilla.org/projects/thunderbird/linuxurls.html for Thunderbird under Linux.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
