VMware.

May 8, 2001 4:58 PM

VMware. Run the Operating Systems You Need, All at Once, on the One Machine.
posted by Zool (16 comments total)

Connectix has been doing the same thing for Macs for ages now, and they'll soon be releasing Virtual PC for Windows for a hundred bucks less than VMware will cost. There won't be a Linux version, though.
posted by toddshot at 5:15 PM on May 8, 2001

A year or two ago I wrote an article about browser/OS testing that mentions VMware (with screenshots).

It's one of the coolest programs in the world, though a tad pricey for home users/developers.
posted by mathowie at 5:16 PM on May 8, 2001

you know, it's kind of a pain to set up. i won a copy of it when vmware came to give an info session at cornell, and i keep getting registration keys mailed to me for upgrade versions, and I can't say that I used it much. I've decided that windows 2000 is enough better as a workstation OS than linux that I run win2k exclusively. That, combined with the fact that there's really little I'd need to run native linux apps, makes VMWare pretty useless for me. I do development remotely on a server, and i can just whip out an X server for that, tunnelled over SSH.

That said, it is really cool technology.
posted by chacal at 6:08 PM on May 8, 2001

Nice article Matt, testing of a number of things is why we are playing with it at the moment where i work. Also much better way to have multiple OS's on a machine than partition magic for example.
posted by Zool at 6:22 PM on May 8, 2001

VMware used to have a cheaper hobbyist price.
posted by tamim at 6:43 PM on May 8, 2001

As a long-time former sysadmin for an enterprise IBM VM/CMS operation, it was indeed interesting to see the VMware announcement a couple years ago. In addition to the ability of supporting multiple operating systems on the same platform, VM has always been useful with its ability for supporting multiple concurrent users, each with their own virtual environment. On a desktop, could be a bit of a problem.
posted by netbros at 8:20 PM on May 8, 2001

I've run this thing quite a lot. I loved it, but it's getting a bit heavy and complicated. I still think that the VNC clients are where it's at.
posted by Dean_Paxton at 8:46 PM on May 8, 2001

Netbros, any idea if that z/VM is available for download for evaluation from anywhere?

Does not seem to be available from vm.ibm.com.
posted by Zool at 8:53 PM on May 8, 2001

Zool, it's for mainframe systems and zSeries servers and likely costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Follow-on product to their VM/ESA.
posted by netbros at 9:15 PM on May 8, 2001

Thanks, i sort of got that picture after some further investigation. Also it seems that it runs on some very expensive mainframes in the first place, S/390 and zSeries 900.
posted by Zool at 9:42 PM on May 8, 2001

Virtual PC for Mac lets you run Windows on a Mac, but Virtual PC for Windows doesn't let you run Mac OS on a Windows machine. That's not at all surprising, but still, it seems like it should be possible by now.
posted by endquote at 10:09 PM on May 8, 2001

Dean_Paxton: VNC and VMWare are good for different uses. VNC is good for remote control (admins, telecommuters), VMWare is good for multiplexing several distinct systems on one piece of hardware (QA, support). Using it to run Linux on your Wintel (or vice versa) box is nice, but that's what the hobbyist version was for. In a commercial setting, you're more apt to see it used with for a gang of reference systems or test beds.

endquote: there are virtual Macs for Intel hardware, vMac and basilisk. Can't vouch for their completeness, though.
posted by brantstrand at 12:24 AM on May 9, 2001

Zool, why is almost everything you post a thinly disguised ad for some company? Are you getting paid to do this?
posted by jpancake at 7:02 AM on May 9, 2001

It's apparently difficult to emulate a PowerPC effectively with a Pentium, so the Mac emulators for the PC all emulate the older 68040 chip. Unfortunately that means you can't use the most recent versions of a lot of Mac software (including, I think, the OS).
posted by kindall at 11:15 AM on May 9, 2001

Jpancake, why don't you provide me with your email address so that i can abuse you without the whole of Metafilter being involved. Unlike the mindless drones that seem to think that news stories which everyone has access to are worth discussing, i initially found Metafilter exciting for interesting things that are out there on the web.

I have never heard of VMWare before yesterday and if you checked the things i've posted, you would aslo realise that none of them are related other than something INTERESTING i've found on the web.

Also, i happen to work in IT so related topics get me excited.
posted by Zool at 5:31 PM on May 9, 2001