CodeWeavers Crossover Mac Half Off Today Only

CodeWeavers, the software vendor whose product line allows users to run Microsoft applications on Linux and Mac operating systems, has announced the one-day Lame Duck Anniversary Sale. In honor of the one-year anniversary of last year's popular free giveaway, new customers and returning customers get half off everything in its store, including product renewals.

Billed as a "24-hour non-giveaway," customer have until midnight CST tonight, to make a purchase at a 50% discount. Any purchases made today will also include the upcoming release of CrossOver (code-named "Snow Mallard"), along with 2-for-1 support days until its release. "That is, if you purchase today, and we ship Snow Mallard a month from now, we'll retroactively add two months of support to your account when Snow Mallard comes out, and you'll get it for free," the CodeWeavers team announced in an email to customers. As an additional incentive to buy today, 25 random customers will receive lifetime support contracts as well.

In typical hilarious fashion, CodeWeavers CEO Jeremy White issued a press release outlining his reasons for not giving away his products for free again this year. His tongue-in-cheek explanation is that the 650,000 licenses he gave away last year nearly sent the company into a financial tailspin and left his sales director a shattered mess. "My socialist phase has passed," says White. "I’m back to being a greedy capitalist."

White says he's ordered his marketing department to help recoup his losses, and "chained them to their desks" until 650,000 paid licenses are sold.

"It’s a pretty sweet deal: The later we ship, the more value the customer receives for their money," says White, in reference to the 2-for-1 support days. "Not only that, but we're giving away 25 free lifetime licenses of CrossOver as well. That oughta pump up some interest. At least, that's what Marketing better hope. Marketing got us into this mess in the first place; they ain't getting out of it until I say they’re out."

All kidding aside, CodeWeavers makes great products. If you've been wanting to pick CrossOver Linux to run those old Microsoft applications you have laying around (don't worry, we won't ask why), there's no time like the present. And have a heart for those poor marketing guys, won't you?