Comments on: Virtualization at Home http://blog.cheesefingers.com/2007/12/22/virtualization-at-home/ Practical thoughts fueled by divine orange powder Sat, 31 Jul 2010 03:27:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Richa http://blog.cheesefingers.com/2007/12/22/virtualization-at-home/#comment-57512 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:56:31 +0000 http://blog.cheesefingers.com/2007/12/22/virtualization-at-home/#comment-57512 Well I think what Dev says is correct. Virtual machines are useful for developers and IT organizations, but not so much for the home user, and the technical knowledge setting one up requires defeats most laypeople. That said, a few comments on setting up virtual machines on a Mac: 1. Don't use Virtual PC. Microsoft doesn't support it anymore, and it's <em>dog slow</em>. 2. Parallels is very useful (and more importantly, dead easy to set up), and I used it for a while, but for the true portability lover, VMWare is the way to go. VMWare is available for Windows, Mac OS and Linux, and so is great for developers who increasingly need to use some combination of multiple systems to get their jobs done. What's more, a Windows user can set up a VM to house an Oracle database, for instance, but then can transfer it to their Mac OS or Linux-using colleagues with a single file transfer, and a guarantee that it will work seamlessly. In my case, I run Leopard with an installation of Windows XP in VMWare Fusion (the latter costs you about $80), so I can develop using the power of Unix in Mac OS, but test my web applications in IE when I need to. Windows when I need it, out of the way when I don't. What could be better? Well I think what Dev says is correct. Virtual machines are useful for developers and IT organizations, but not so much for the home user, and the technical knowledge setting one up requires defeats most laypeople.

That said, a few comments on setting up virtual machines on a Mac:

1. Don’t use Virtual PC. Microsoft doesn’t support it anymore, and it’s dog slow.
2. Parallels is very useful (and more importantly, dead easy to set up), and I used it for a while, but for the true portability lover, VMWare is the way to go. VMWare is available for Windows, Mac OS and Linux, and so is great for developers who increasingly need to use some combination of multiple systems to get their jobs done. What’s more, a Windows user can set up a VM to house an Oracle database, for instance, but then can transfer it to their Mac OS or Linux-using colleagues with a single file transfer, and a guarantee that it will work seamlessly.

In my case, I run Leopard with an installation of Windows XP in VMWare Fusion (the latter costs you about $80), so I can develop using the power of Unix in Mac OS, but test my web applications in IE when I need to. Windows when I need it, out of the way when I don’t. What could be better?

]]> by: Mark http://blog.cheesefingers.com/2007/12/22/virtualization-at-home/#comment-57285 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:48:33 +0000 http://blog.cheesefingers.com/2007/12/22/virtualization-at-home/#comment-57285 Soooo I take it you are in favor of Virtual Machines? You don't mention what's involved with doing this for Macs though... I'm sold on the idea, but I don't have a Home PC... so what do I doo?!?!?!? Soooo I take it you are in favor of Virtual Machines?

You don’t mention what’s involved with doing this for Macs though… I’m sold on the idea, but I don’t have a Home PC… so what do I doo?!?!?!?

]]> by: Manoj http://blog.cheesefingers.com/2007/12/22/virtualization-at-home/#comment-24036 Sun, 10 Feb 2008 09:31:42 +0000 http://blog.cheesefingers.com/2007/12/22/virtualization-at-home/#comment-24036 <b> It is readable, Devbhai!! Well, that sounds interesting. I guess Uday and I will try it!! Thanks. </b> It is readable, Devbhai!! Well, that sounds interesting. I guess Uday and I will try it!! Thanks.

]]> by: ilamankad http://blog.cheesefingers.com/2007/12/22/virtualization-at-home/#comment-21259 Mon, 24 Dec 2007 19:26:24 +0000 http://blog.cheesefingers.com/2007/12/22/virtualization-at-home/#comment-21259 dev made me read it dev made me read it

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