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Running Garmin Express on Linux

Has anyone managed to run "Garmin Express" on Linux (through "wine" maybe)? If so, can you please post the instructions to do so?

Thanks!

PS: along the same lines, @garmin_developers: please consider open sourcing the app so that others can port it to Linux. If the marketing people don't want (it's *always* them!), please try to convince them with the following arguments:

1) Open sourcing brings product awareness.
2) Developers over the world will add new features for free!
3) Open source advocates tend to be very passionate and will push your product in new unexpected markets.
4) The more open a platform is, the easier an ecosystem on top of it is to emerge. A richer ecosystem means better apps, more clients, more money for you to buy a yatch!

:)

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0 piotridzikowski over 6 years ago

Hello.
I also use linux. And to run Garmin Express I use VirtualBox with Windows installed.
Everything works fine

0 MWBZ over 6 years ago

Garmin ... Linux is here to stay ... get over it and do something !!!!

0 Bit over 6 years ago

Altough I wholeheartedly agree with you, with a desktop/laptop market share of 2.08% (number from https://netmarketshare.com ) I don't see a clear incentive for Garmin to invest in Linux development, unfortunately.

And as the API to Connect is costly, it is not likely that someone is going to develop a free alternative for Linux either.

But as always.. please suggest the idea here to make it known! https://www.garmin.com/en-US/forms/ideas/

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

I agree, having a Linux Garmin Express program would solve a lot of people's problems! I, for one, love to use Linux, and had exclusively used Linux since 2002 until the past few years when I bought a new laptop (and subsequently also a new gaming laptop) and have mostly been using Windows 7, and now Windows 10, but I prefer Linux by far and would use it more if more of the programs and devices I use day to day were compatible with Linux. Finding this thread makes me want to re-install my favorite distro(s) and revel in the Linux-love.

0 Bit over 6 years ago

Apologies for straying off-topic.. but what's holding you back Brittany.D.. find any old laptop that won't perform under Windows, it will run Ubuntu just fine.
Unix/Linux is an old love of mine as well. Compared to the mainframe-OS'ses of the 1980s, Unix was super easy and fun to work with. Whenever I try to use Windows (or OS/2, back in the day) I feel as if I'm trying to build a house in total darkness with broken tools and one hand tied behind my back. Sorry, I'll shut up about this topic now. Happy holidays!

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

Apologies for straying off-topic.. but what's holding you back Brittany.D..

My older laptop has a broken screen and I need to replace it. That's really the only thing stopping me from having a dedicated Linux computer. :P Happy holidays and new year!

0 Dr Phil over 6 years ago

Don't have a license for Windows, so running in Virtualbox is not an option either.

I have W10 in VirtualBox on my Mac without a license. Provided you are prepared to accept some limitations (not even sure what they are) you can download and install W10 (from Microsoft) without a license key. I don't use it that often as there is only one program that I need Windows. I do know that it works fine though, even with the continuously annoying updates every time I log in. I just ignore the message at the base of the Settings screen telling me that Windows is not activated.

0 SudaSport over 6 years ago

+1 for linux version. I never used Garmin Express on Windows (I didn't use it for more than 15 years), but it's strange that I miss part of the experience just because Garmin decided to rely on 3rd party proprietary software.
Also, do they have version for Mac? If it's so, it would be easier to make it cross-platform. As far as I understand, there is no special GUI features in such a program.

0 MilkThief over 5 years ago

Wine is the answer. Look on youtube.

0 Former Member over 5 years ago

For getting device and map updates, Express uses a protobuf API where it sends the GarminDevice.xml to and receives a list of update files. Then there's a different request to get purchased contents for the device with a given Unit ID. Both is relatively easy to find out by just looking at some Wireshark logs. But Express does a lot more things, e.g. uploading activities to Connect Web, manage WiFi networks on some devices, purchase new content, update installed Connect IQ apps, register your device with Garmin, flash firmware to older devices, etc.

While it may be possible, to develop some tool that does these things without the help from Garmin, I'm not sure they will condone it. Also it's no public API so they can change it at any time, breaking said tool.

So yes, I'm all in favour of some official Garmin Express for Linux. Or at least some public API so we can develop our own tools to do the most important things - without the fear of the API ceasing to work or even legal trouble.