the only drawback of virtualbox open source is that it doesn't allow to attach a usb. The binary version allows that.
On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 12:01 AM, boazg <[email protected]> wrote: > have you tried virtualbox? it's GPL, and i've had some good experience with > it. > > > On Sun, Jan 10, 2010 at 21:06, Eli Billauer <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hello, >> >> >> I've been playing around with my new Fedora 12 computer (Intel i7 quad >> core) for a few days, mainly for the purpose of making educated >> decisions about how to virtualize two old computers, which I want to get >> rid of. They are running Windows 2000 and Redhat 7.3. I only tested the >> Windows part (Linux should be much easier). Fedora 12 is the host, of >> course. >> >> I've looked at QEMU/KVM vs. VMWare. I want to share my experiences and >> insights with you, because I don't like the bottom line, which is the >> VMWare is better for almost all home purposes (I'm not talking about >> cloud servers and such). Which makes me wonder: Is VMWare a honey trap, >> or is it currently the preferred choice? >> >> In case you wondered, both tools can run simultaneously on the same >> computer, seemingly without disturbing each other. It looks like I'm >> going to take advantage of this. >> >> I ran VMPlayer (free as in beer version) with VMTools in the Windows >> guest machine. I take it that their licenses don't limit me in time nor >> the number of guests I can run simultaneously. Please do correct me if >> I'm wrong on this. >> >> The concept is to copy these machines' disks as image files, and then >> seamlessly go on working as if nothing happened. The most important >> issue for me is that after the transition I can go on doing everything I >> did before (including using electronic development hardware through USB). >> >> I should mention, that both tool's documented and encouraged flow is to >> install a new operating system from scratch on a blank (virtualized) >> disk, and not run a previously installed one. Indeed, a preinstalled XP >> image tends to give me the blue screen. The Windows 2000 image runs >> beautifully. >> >> QEMU/KVM Pros >> * Free (as in freedom) >> * Allows incremental images (good for running possibly malicious software) >> * Can be run from the command line, and is generally script friendly. >> * Appears to be more secure (SELinux is all over) >> * Display on VNC allows remote access to guest >> >> QEMU/KVM Cons: >> * Doesn't currently have an EHCI driver (and hence guest sees only USB >> 1.1, not 2.0) >> * Didn't manage to attach a USB device I need for electronics >> development (Xilinx programming cable). >> * Has Windows paravirtualization drivers for network card only. Display >> is slow. >> * Using the mouse is annoying (poor tracking, clicks are sometimes >> missed). >> >> VMPlayer Pros: >> * VMTools offers a nice set of paravirtual drivers >> * Very good emulation of graphics card (through paravirtual driver). >> Feels like a real computer, it's possible to play movies. The guest's >> desktop size is dynamically adjusted to the virtual machine's window >> size, which is pretty convenient. >> * Very good handling of USB hotplugging. Needless to say, it handled my >> special piece of hardware seemlessly. >> * Easy to feel with mouse. >> >> VMPlayer Cons: >> * Feels like it was designed for Windows host. If you can't do it >> through GUI, you can't do it at all (?) >> * Everything about their website says "we'll give you this for free (if >> you manage to find it), but you really want our million dollar version" >> >> So this is my grim bottom line: I don't like the music I get from >> VMWare, but VMPlayer does the job, and QEMU is almost there. But almost >> is not enough when you want something to work. Remember that I'm the one >> who wants his computer working, first and foremost? >> >> Your information, comments and insights are mostly welcome. >> >> Eli >> -- >> >> Web: http://www.billauer.co.il >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Haifux mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://hamakor.org.il/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/haifux >> > > > > -- > > Ted Turner <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/ted_turner.html> - > "Sports is like a war without the killing." > > _______________________________________________ > Haifux mailing list > [email protected] > http://hamakor.org.il/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/haifux > >
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