Virtually speaking, think outside the bochs.
Our cross platform IA-32 emulator friend, Bochs, has a powerful new competitor who offers more than the emulation we have all come to know and dread...err...I meant love. Step aside - contiguous native virtualization is the new release VirtualBox from Innotek. Host support is complete for GNU/Linux and Windows 32 and 64X while Mac, OS/2, FreeBSD and Solaris are not far behind.
I was particularly impressed with the virtual serial ports and seamless windows that allow a VM window to directly integrate with your GNU/Linux or Windows desktop. No other solution offers this much functionality in virtualization. The interface is very user friendly and help is plentiful. The IRC channels offer instant help while the Forums are packed full of tips and tricks.
VirtualBox has pro actively covered all the shared dll nightmares we have all encountered with emulators and paravirtualization (Xen) allowing the sheer power of this tool to shine above the rest. I have been a VMWare fan for quite a few years, this is simply more powerful and easier to use from administration to end use. Imagine not having to modify your host system! How would you like RDP and USB support for your Virtual XP box? Wouldn't having the ability to share folders on your virtual machine be a blessing? It's all there, today, in the latest release, VirtualBox 1.5.0.
The key to the success of this virtualization solution, I believe, is in
the ability to port VM definitions to other computers with a minimum of the issues we currently face. The use of XML for configuration files makes this a fast and simple solution - no more rebooting.
If you are looking for a solid open source solution to virtualization,
give this a peek. The install takes less than 5 minutes to install and
create a host and guest in either GNU/Linux or Windows. Time well spent. If your feeling nostalgic, go ahead and load up OS/2 VM on your GNU/Linux host!
Comments
You know, I would keep my
You know, I would keep my program free but only charge people to download the binaries. Let 'em download the source all day long, but if they want good binaries, pay for the download. The less technical folks (and those desiring to support the business) will pay for the download, while the ones who know what they're doing can download and compile all day long.
Frankly, I personally don't care for the dual-license model, but it does help businesses, imo, to survive while our society makes the transition to a FOSS-oriented economy.
D.C. Parris
Publisher, Blue Gnu
http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris
https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris
Here is their page
Here is their page describing which editions are available:
http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Editions
It looks to me like the OSE is available as a tarball, not as a Debian package.
Apparently, they dual-license it. Which edition did you download?
D.C. Parris
Publisher, Blue Gnu
http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris
https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris
I see now. I downloaded the
I see now. I downloaded the feisty binary package which is apparently under the proprietary license, but source is Free. So I guess I just gotta compile it. :)
Thanks.
Free Software?
I'm not sure if this is really Free Software or Open Source. I am not very good at legalese, but after downloading the Ubuntu Feisty package I was presented with some sort of an EULA which seems too restrictive to warrant branding this as Free Software or Open Source.
Correct me if I'm wrong, if it is maybe dual licensed or if I've misread, but if it is dual licensed I would expect the GNU/Linux packages to come under a free license..
Of course if VirtualBox turns out to be proprietary software that would make this article unfit for blue-gnu.biz and innotek GmbH guilty of misrepresentation.