[dundee] Virtualisation - Linux & Microsoft

[Daniel Lamb]

I personally agree, virtualization is a brilliant alternative, to me as an
it professional having various different operating systems at the push of a
button makes it a lot easier, and space saving, and brilliant for the energy
conscious as you only need to run 1 machine, Dell have been talking for a
while and there techies are suggesting running multiple servers on 1 server,
this enables you to always have a full backup and if one breaks, simply
replace it by booting up a different image of the same software.  

For home users as well it makes the transition to linux a lot easier because
if the find that linux does not run the program they can simply install a
virtual machine with windows on it, I hope that it help move more people
across as they still feel comfortable.

Qemu has nice frontends for kde and gnome as well which allows less
technical people to install and test various distros and new updates as well
as more technical people to test programs and play around knowing that the
image will be restored to its original state next time it is started.

Virtualisation is at such a stage now that intel has even bought into
VMware, as this will definitely reduce the amount of processors being sold
in the near future.

Does anyone else know of good opensource vms like qemu?

Regards,
Daniel

-----Original Message-----
From: dundee-bounces at mailman.lug.org.uk
[mailto:dundee-bounces at mailman.lug.org.uk] On Behalf Of gordon dunlop
Sent: 08 September 2007 22:47
To: Tayside Linux User Group
Subject: [dundee] Virtualisation - Linux & Microsoft

Hi All.

Regarding the recent posts about using virtual Linux systems in PC's, 
this is the area where I think Microsoft is getting fearful, thanks to 
Daniel Lamb's posts (hopes he forgives me for being a bit senile). 
Virtualisation technology has taken off in the past year with 51 
different types being offered now, everyone is getting on the 
virtualisation bandwagon, as it offers benefits not only on the server 
but on the desktop, with aim of achieving close to native performance as 
is possible. Intel & AMD are creating more virtualisation instructions 
within their processors. Dell are thinking about putting virtual Linux 
machines on the Vista desktop to increase their share of the market 
(trying to overtake HP). Microsoft charge for their operating systems 
per individual license and Linux is free therefore an individual can run 
as many copies of Linux as their hardware allows rather than incurring 
the cost of multiple Microsoft licenses. I have found that Windows users 
within my family are quite happy to have Linux virtual machines 
installed as it costs nothing and gives them extra Internet security, 
they are not interested in being sole Linux users, but is getting them 
to be familiar with Linux. If this happens a lot for Windows users (90% 
of desktops) then Linux would become more mainstream. I think that if 
you cannot get a Windows person to try Linux as an alternative operating 
system then offer to put a Linux virtual machine (Daniel recommends 
qemu, what do others think?) in their Windows system then they will 
become more familiar with Linux. These are some of my thoughts, if you 
think that I am on the wrong track let me know.

Gordon




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