This is just an email that I sent to a friend.. He had an acquaintance who saw Windows running on a laptop that was actually running on top of Linux. He was very impressed. He said it was very fast and we can all get excited about Virtual Machines (external definitions: Link 1 | Link 2 | Link3).

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VMWare is the most reliable, most developed VM for Linux that I know of.. This is the same software manufacturer that made Windows 98 able to run on Macintosh PowerBooks a year ago. Here is there main website:
http://www.vmware.com/

Here is their testimonial page for Windows running on Linux via their Virtual Machine: http://www.vmware.com/solutions/winlinux.html

--[Try it Before Buying]--
Now, before considering purchasing VMWare, I recommend trying it out.. SuSE is not the best Linux Distribution in my opinion, but version 6.3 is available for $50 from their website.. http://www.suse.com/63_intel.html

If you're really interested in trying it out, I have a 6-CD SuSE boxed-set that I bought at Best Buy some time back (I think it could be 6.2 and not 6.3, though).. It's available for someone to borrow--or to buy (cheap). SuSE 6.3 has the latest version of VMWare (1.1.1) and all you have to do is sign up at VMWare's website for a trial key. This key is a text file that you download and copy to a certain directory and allows 30 days of use.. I don' t know how possible it is to continue to obtain trial keys or to crack the system to use VMWare for free.

--[VMWare Setup]--
The process of setup is a little cumbersome and I never got VMWare's X Server installed to take advantage of more than a Standard VGA adapter at 640x480 and 16 colors. The documentation showed how to create a virtual hard disk and now to mount an existing Windows partition in 'Read-Only' mode, but I was able to figure out how to allow raw access so that it was really booting Windows.. It even re-detected hardware because the real hardware was slightly different from some of the virtual components. This messed up my drivers to some degree when I rebooted into Windows for real, but if I owned VMWare and could make it work (on a box I didn't share w/ my wife), I would only boot into Windows from Linux anyway..

--[VMWare Pricing]--
The pricing seems to have solidified at $300 for VMWare:
https://www5.vmware.com/store/Select_Product.cfm I seem to recall that they have student pricing and such.. Yup.. Checked the Sales FAQ (http://www.vmware.com/vmwarestore/salesfaq.html) and found: "The student/hobbyist discount price for a single-user electronic license is $99.00 US for each product. This discount price is for students, college/university staff and faculty members, hobbyists, home users, and others who license VMware strictly for personal, not-for-profit use."

That's pretty nifty.. Windows on Linux for the price of Windows.. If you already have an existing Windows CD/installation (which is the case for 80+ % or so of PC users), it's just like you're buying a copy of 'Linux Windows' for the student price.

--[VMWare--the Microsoft of Virtual Machines]--
OK.. The only other consideration of Virtual Machines for Linux (for the most part, VMWare seems to be patenting everyone out of their market, unfortunately) or any other Alternate OS to run Windows on is a freeware project...

--[Other mentionables]--
At http://www.freemware.org, there is a continued project for Linux and BeOS to allow this neat-o VM technology to be available for free.. The progress is slow, but it's coming.. It seems to be based on a project called BOCHS.

The most basic use of Windows software can be available in fairly stable release (with some applications) in the form of W.I.N.E... This software comes pre-installed in most current Linux Distributions.. Your best source for W.I.N.E. info is likely:
http://winebin.netpedia.net/

I ran WINE successfully w/ some apps, but had could not fully use sound since my Sound Blaster Live 'emu' driver was experimental.

If you're just looking for an easier way to run Linux in a Windows world, Phat Linux makes it simple to get a full and current Linux installation on a Windows partition via some sort of UMSDOS scenario and a batch file..

The testimonial on their front page makes it sound pretty simple:
"I've always been interested in Linux, but I was never really sure that i was willing to take the risk of repartioning my hd. I was VERY excited when i found the link to your site a while ago. I couldn't believe that there was a version of linux that installed from windows."

I don't have a high speed connection presently to have tried Phat Linux out yet, but I really want to:
http://www.phatlinux.com/

Thanks,
clicket [Jason Brewer]
--/\/--preffered email addresses--/\/--
lute3@rocketmail.com
jdbrewer@netexecutive.com

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<posted 02-15-2000>

original "Tux" image courtesy of Larry Ewing