VMWare

[gizbug]

Curious as to what users use this app for?
Is it for someone say running XP and they want to install Vista using vmware, so they can try it out, but not have it fully installed?

 

[MustISO]

It allows you to have several OS's running on the same machine at the same time using the same hardware. You create something like a virtual environment for each OS and it's as if they were all running on seperate machiens. Pretty damn slick if you ask me.

 

[Schadenfroh]

I use virtual machines to test programs that I write on a virtual windows 2000 install.

 

[Nothinman]

I mainly use it to test things that might potentially break my machine or that aren't easily doable on the hardware. For example, I can give a VM as many disks as I want so it's simple to test out different software RAID scenarios.

I also use it to run Windows+Office because sadly everyone still wants resumès in Word format

 

[sciencewhiz]

I use QEMU for much the same reasons as Nothinman. I can use mondorescue to make a live backup of an existing system, restore to the VM and test whatever I want to test.

 

[TheStu]

I'm on OS X... but I use VMWare to run Windows only apps within OS X, I also use it for testing purposes and for running diagnosis and testing when troubleshooting windows boxes.

 

[yinan]

At home: Testing and studying different scenarios.
Work: Datacenter consolidation. Host many servers on alot less physical boxes. For example run 10 copies on Windows on one server, thereby saving the cost of about 8 servers.

 

[Noema]

I use it to try out Linux distros, for the most part.

Since I'm a Linux n00b, I'd much rather break a VM install than one of my real boxes 😛

 

[gizbug]

So i can install this, then install Linux or mac os on my vista box and test it out?

 

[TheStu]

Well you can install Linux, but install OS X is a completely different story. For one, it is against the EULA to run OS X on anything but Apple hardware, for another, you cannot simply drop a tiger disc into there and install OS X, you would have to get a hacked copy. And even if you do get it running, it will not exactly be the most stable of things

So, feel free to install linux, but if you have your heart set on running all 3 major OSes (Windows, OS X, and Linux) then get a mac.

 

[xcript]

I run winxp under qemu to test layouts in IE.

 

[WildHorse]

I Use virtual machines to test software prior to installing it.

FOr me it's mostly used for slipstreamed Windows installations nade using nLIte, and which integrate Microsoft hotfixes and various non-MS Applications into an ISO that can be tested on the VM.