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VMware workstation....

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WoodiE

WoodiE

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For sometime now I've been fully aware the Linux is making it's way to having it's day. I honestly think it's only a matter of time before Linux becomes part of the mainstream, because of this I've really wanted to learn more about linux and how to use it. Well I don't have the money or space to build another computer just so I can run linux. After doing some searching on Google I've found VMware Workstation. VMware allows users to create virtual pc's on their computer. Not only can I install linux on my system I can install other flavors of linux all at once, different versions of windows, and other Operating Systems.

As of right now I'm installing Mandrake 9.2 and I have SuSe coming to me in the mail. I just thought I'd share with the rest of us computer geeks here and see if anyone has tried this and what their thoughts about VMware is.


-Michael
 
That is awsome!!!! I was thinking about installing Linux on my comp. but I would want the redhat version. I am currently taking computer science courses, and we are working with linux, It is cool, good luck i dont know if i want to install linux, but it runs great on my XBOX.
 
My friend uses linux, and Linux only. His windows computer died on him when he was young, and he couldn't afford the windows disk. He installed Linux somoe gave him, and thats all he does. He now programs Mysql stuff like that.

Anyways he installed Vm ware on his wifes machine, and it runs great! He insalled it over here, but I have alinux routr in the back, no need for it.

Vmware is excellent. I don't know much about it, but I think it simulates bios. From what I saw of it here, and at my friends house it's a pretty powerfull setup.

BTW if you are wanting to run linux and don't mind command line, anything will work. I have an old pII 233 running my router and web server in the closet. It works nice. No monitor, no keyboard, nothing but a wireless card (internet) and a lan cable to hook up with my windows computers.

I use SSH to log into it to change wireless settings, and anything that might go Bump.

I have to say linux as a base rocks. It never goes down, never crashes. I can just unplug it, plug it back in and internet is up automatically. In the short amount of time it takes to boot.

To have windows do what it does I would need a 400mhz or better, and a load more ram. Not to mention constantly rebooting and tweaking it. Did I mention no security issues :D
 
lykan,

You bring up a good point - Linux as routers. This is one reason I've really thought about wanting to learn linux. Yeah I know I have two nice routers setup right now (SMC and Netgear), but to have a linux system serve as my base firewall would be awesome. I've seen where some distro's have built in VPN servers, intrusion detection, print server, and many more features already complied in even along with a nice web admin interface. To get all of these features in one nice little router would cost a bundle, but with linux all you need is a 486 computer.

Things I really want to learn are:

1. setting it up as a firewall.
2. setting up a 'secure' web server.
3. setup and use Wine.

The nice thing about VMware is that I can setup 3 separate virtual pc's for each one.

-Michael
 
Yup with VMware you can learn all about any OS, and then just switch back to normal windows when you have to do something right away, and don't have the time to fiddle with it.

My router is setup to do a few things.

It's my firewall
It's DHCP server, (plug and play network settings for any windows computer I plug in)
It's passworded web server. (I put files for friends to download without FTP)
Print server
Shared network storage for swappig or storing files over the network.

I feel somewhat safe running windows on the internet knowing that the linux box filters everything before it gets here.


The cool thing about the firewall is it is all in a script. If I want to run say, ICQ and do file transfers, I just log in, open up the file, and add the port I want icq to use.

The script also allows me linux box to run silent Even If I were to get say a trojan virus, those ports are blocked and not allowed to be used. It doesn't return pings, and it only allows traffic originally requested by an internal computer.

All my downloaded movies and music go there too, so I don't have my windows boxes clogged with files.

There is just SO much you can do with linux for so cheap. Like you said a 486 will run linux smooth. You can go buy a netgear router, or you can pick up an old computer that someone gives you or wants to throw away and have a router with a lot of features.

The other really cool thing is the open source stuff. Their are soo many projects in linux, and so much software for free. you don't have to buy Microsoft office XP for $200 a license for 50 employees with linux ;)

I do have to say, because windows is so mainstream it's hard to use linux only, and get the features my whole family wants.

VMware rocks friend, enjoy it ;)
 
Originally posted by lykan
I do have to say, because windows is so mainstream it's hard to use linux only, and get the features my whole family wants.

VMware rocks friend, enjoy it ;)
Click to expand...

Did you know that Mandrake 9.2 comes with VMware so you can install a version of windows and use linux and windows at the same time! I thought that was pretty cool - mandrake is the only one that I know doing this and more then likely be the only one since MS just bought up VMware.

lykan - do you have any good tutorials on setting up a linux box as a firewall?



-Michael
 
The friend I mentioned turned me onto linux about two years ago. Although I probably could have stumbled through it myself, his help was invaluable. Nothing like having a help a phone call away ;)

My advice would be to maybe find somone local. My buddy also turned me onto a local linux user group meeting. Every friday we get together and end up playing lan games. But if I have any questions their's like 10 people to answer them. If you have the time, you mihght be able to find a local linux user group.

This link here

Shows pretty much how my router is setup. The links at the bottom take you through the rc.firewall script step by step.

If you want any of my firewall scripts or configuration files, you are welcome to them. I'll post them up for download. The scripts are completely commented so you know what each line of the script is doing, and why ;)
 
You could always just dual Boot Linux and XP. They should play well together

Linky

I have been running lixux in one form or another for probably 7 years. back then I just got a job with a company that used Unix exclusively and I wanted to learn at home. So I was at a computer show and noticed a cd that said Linux...it was a hump to install let alone getting the GUI to run. Now its cake. I kinda like Mandrake now....I was running slackware and BSD and Redhat 2.0 back in the day. I dig linux tons!
585images.jpg


Also check this its called Freesco its a linux router that can run off a floppy...linux is not Bloatware like windows LOL

FREESCO
 
lykan you're the only person I know on this board that runs linux so I've got a few questions for ya.

1. Does linux support non-regular characters, such as ALT characters? (example: holding ALT+pressing 0 1 7 2 will create this ¬ character) And if so how? I've tried pressing ALT plus a number sequence and it doesn't work, I know because my password to login this site uses them. So I was wondering if there was a way to do it.

2. Why the heck is my internet text so darn small? I've tried lowering my monitor resolution and still no go...micro text. (I'm using Konqur *sp?*)

3. Also I've noticed that linux does come with the font named verdana pre-install, which is a very common font and a font that is used a lot in the layout of this site alone. How can, if it can be, installed on linux?

By the way I've decided on a dual boot of winXP Pro and Suse 9.0 - so far Suse is awesome, but I can't login to my own site :(


-Michael
 
Hey YA Woodie,

It's been about a year since I have run X, so let me tell you what I do know.

#1 the text version of linux I use (command line) does not support the Alt+charachters. I can't use them in my linux machine to log in so I am assuming no.

#2 I used Mozlilla for browsing, but this should help you out for Konqueror,Konqueror settings are here (click)

#3 I've never gone as far as changing the font in any of my linux apps. I just didn't use it that much. I belive there are *.conf files for most if not all of your apps, the font path, size, and file name should all be in those *.conf files

I hope this helped. I used the "windowed" version of linux called "x" for about a year. I sold my linux box to a friend in need of a cheap computer, and all that is left is my command line router in the back.

Let me know if you have any more questions, anything I can answer I would be glad to.
 
I haven't had the chance to try this yet, has anyone tried this yet?? It does say its a non commercial version of vmware. I wonder how it compares??


Originally posted by msly
I haven't tried this but it looks like something you would be interested in

CoLinux
Click to expand...
 
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