Talk about a brilliant move to get some attention. St. Paul-MN based CodeWeavers has extended the Google Chromium browser launch beyond Windows by announcing the release of "CrossOver Chromium" for Mac and Linux,
available immediately as a free download. 
Here’s the press release. (Note: To date, Google has only made the new browser available in a Windows beta version, which was announced on September 2, 2008.)
CodeWeavers says it is offering its version as a proof-of-concept "so Mac and Linux users can try firsthand the power and flexibility of the new Chromium open source browser." CrossOver Chromium also showcases the power of Wine, which allows
CodeWeavers to rapidly migrate technology from Windows to alternate
platforms. (Here’s more about The Wine Project.)
"We did this to prove a point," said Jeremy White, CodeWeavers CEO, in the press release. "The message is very simply
this: if you are a Windows software vendor, and you want to get your
product into new markets, you should pay attention to Wine. Wine is a
very powerful tool for bringing your product to new audiences in the
Mac and Linux spaces. And in many cases Wine is faster and more
economical than doing a native port."
You have to love White’s latest blog post, Fire Drills and Proving a Point, which tells the story of how they pulled off their Chrome version. 
An excerpt: "So in a CodeWeavers management meeting one day, we were looking for a way to show off Wine’s new maturity, particularly for porting applications. What we needed was a freely redistributable application; one that didn’t exist on Mac or Linux, but one that was readily understandable….And then a little bird flew in the Window and chirped ‘Chromium’, and we knew we had it."
CodeWeavers is no upstart. Founded in 1996,
it brings expanded market
opportunities for Windows software developers by making it easier,
faster, and more painless to port Windows software to Linux. The firm is recognized as a leader in open-source Windows porting
technology, and maintains development offices in Minnesota, the UK, and
elsewhere around the world.
Just another example of the creativity and expertise in Minnesota’s developer community!
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