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Rick Brewster announced that Paint.NET used Claude to rewrite Direct2D from scratch for WINE compatibility, allowing the app to run on Linux without relying on WINE's incomplete Direct2D implementation.

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Paint.NET Rewrites Direct2D for WINE with Claude's Help

Paint.NET Overcomes Direct2D Hurdle with Claude's Help

FAQ

What is Direct2D and why is it important for Paint.NET on WINE?

Direct2D is a graphics API from Microsoft, essential for rendering Paint.NET's interface. On WINE, Direct2D was never complete enough, preventing Paint.NET from running properly.

How did Paint.NET rewrite Direct2D?

Paint.NET used Anthropic's Claude model to perform a clean-room reverse engineering and rewrite of Direct2D from scratch, creating an internal library that works on WINE.

Does this mean Paint.NET will now run on Linux?

Yes, with the new version, Paint.NET can run on Linux via WINE using the /wine flag, although the code is not fully reviewed and may contain bugs.

What are the risks associated with this approach?

The new code is massive (180,000 lines) and not thoroughly reviewed, which could lead to stability or performance issues. Also, reliance on AI requires continuous human oversight.

Source: Simon Willison (LLM & tools)

AI-assisted content, human-reviewed.