Linux Beginners and Vets: use VMware!

Hey guys, I just wanna let everyone who might not already know, that VMware recently came out with a free version.

What VMware is, is a program that allows you to run a "Virtual Machine", or basicly an OS while your in your installed OS, a virutal OS.


For Beginners
The usefulness of this for Linux beginners is greater ability to experiment, and even better, stay in Windows if you need help or anything. The additional help is that you don't need to install the distro in case you don't want to yet, or are not too keen on it.


For Veterans
I'll add that VMware can be useful for linux Veterans because you can use this program on a Linux machine too, if you wanna test a new distro out or play around.


http://www.vmware.com/products/player/ -this is the site for the free VMware Player, there is also a Server version (not sure on it's uses).


***TAKE NOTE***

site below said:

You cannot use VMWare Player to create virtual machine images — VMWare requires you to get their Workstation or Server version to do that. It can be overcome by downloading an existing VM, and then re-install it with the OS of your choice. Or alternatively, use QEMU to create VM images in VMWare’s virtual disk file format.

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Cited from http://fucoder.com/2005/10/install-gentoo-linux-vmware-windows-xp/


Thought everyone could benefit from this, since it's advantages are similar to that of a LiveCD, but with some great additional stuff too...and no I don't work for VMware or anything.

Looks like fun, but how many of the premade "images" are available? Only the ones listed here? http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/

eh, nevermind, I see you can make your own.

If it is legal i'd make a few for anyoen that asked.

khiloa said:

Looks like fun, but how many of the premade "images" are available? Only the ones listed here? http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/

eh, nevermind, I see you can make your own.

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Yeah you can make your own, but you need to start out with those first, and follow those instructions from the site I linked...that is, if I understood it correctly.

Cheator said:

If it is legal i'd make a few for anyoen that asked.

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I'd assume making a pre-built for say Windows (not free OS) would only be legal if you used it for yourself, but I'm not totally sure how it would work in the first place, I'm still setting up.

Ahh this is too cool! I just booted into Ubuntu and I'm on WindowsXP Pro right now! hahaha, this is so awesome!...sorry I'm just very excited when it comes to linux.

No i meant setting up linux distros. I have a legal copy of vmware. I think the issue might be me using my copy to make machines for other people. I havne't looked into it yet though. but it is neat to have linux and windows right there together. Its even cooler when you have a decent computer.

Yes, vmware is very cool. I run workstation 5.5 for windows, and have 3 vm's configured right now. One of which is Kubuntu, which I am on right now.

You can d/l their 'limited timed release' server version (15day) for free, windows or linux, where by you can create your vm's. The free player only allows you to run a vm, not create one.

jcw- I share your enthusiam for linux, but vmware, isn't just for *nix as a host OS

I just recently read an article stating that VMWare Server would now be free. True enough, the beta server product is out now for free. They used to have 4 products(possibly more, only familiar with 4): player, workstation, gsx, esx. The GSX class product, which used to run around $15-1700 was ported into a product called VMWare server, which, according to the article I read on activewin a month or two ago, will now be free.

TimDgsr said:

I just recently read an article stating that VMWare Server would now be free. True enough, the beta server product is out now for free. They used to have 4 products(possibly more, only familiar with 4): player, workstation, gsx, esx. The GSX class product, which used to run around $15-1700 was ported into a product called VMWare server, which, according to the article I read on activewin a month or two ago, will now be free.

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Yes it's FREE, 'for 15 days' - if you would have read my post. I have installed and run their 'FREE' server product, but when I fired it up 10 days later, it said that it would expire in 5 days. (that's when I re-installed my Workstation version)

Don't get all exicited folks,,,,,,,,,,,

Sounds interesting! /bookmarks thread/

jajmon said:

Yes it's FREE, 'for 15 days' - if you would have read my post. I have installed and run their 'FREE' server product, but when I fired it up 10 days later, it said that it would expire in 5 days. (that's when I re-installed my Workstation version)

Don't get all exicited folks,,,,,,,,,,,

Click to expand...

http://www.vmware.com/products/server/faqs.html

it used to be free trial, now it's supposed to just be free period.

VMware Server has monthy timebombs in it because it's considered a beta product, not because it's a trial. When it's out of the beta phase, it won't expire anymore.