Tzahi Fadida <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > As part of my new job, i am going to develop also windows > kernel/drivers. Therefore i will have to (naturally) run windows, > however, i got comfortable with linux desktop and i am reluctant to > move back to windows as my main desktop environment.
Don't. Windows GUI sucks in so many major ways compared to Linux. > What are my options, considering i am willing to buy ANY (within > reason) new hardware to accommodate the possibility of running the > two OSs (linux and windows) in tandem without interfering with the > work flow. What is the most optimal solution money can buy software > wise. I am confused: software-wise or hardware-wise? Well, in any case, the following options come to mind (I have personal experience with all of them, they all work): 1) 2 computers, 2 monitors (a dual flat panel may be very nice). I would prefer this solution, unless you are really afraid that you would be distracted by the second screen even when it is off. I used to work like this 10 to 5 years ago and liked it a lot. You can use a KVM switch to have a single keyboard and a single mouse, if your desk area is limited. 2) 2 computers, 1 monitor, KVM switch - only one desktop shown at a time which may be a disadvantage, depending on the work pattern. I used to work like this, too, it is OK, but I didn't like the necessity to switch the display. Make sure your KVM supports switching from the keyboard, otherwise you will have to have the switch and the cables on your (physical) desktop next to your keyboard/mouse to press the stupid button, which is a nuisance. 3) 2 computers, 1 monitor, either an X server on Windows or an RDP client on Linux or VNC (in either direction) or something of the kind. Pros: 1 monitor, simultaneous display. Cons: you may get good performance or you may find it a bit sluggish depending on the configuration and on what you do, YMMV. 4) Solution 2 above + the software in solution 3 for those cases when you need to see the Linux and Windows screens simultaneously. Pros compared to 3 - you can make any of the computers your main screen and display the other desktop in a window at will. 5) A virtual machine such as VMware. You will need a decent computer, enough memory, etc., but the requirements are modest by today's standards. I run Linux on a T43 Thinkpad and there are some things (being nice to co-workers mainly) that I need to do in Windows, so I have an XP in a VMware Player, allocated 368MB of RAM out of the total GB to it, and it works just fine. Depending on what kernel work you will be doing, you may need to run Windows on real HW and Linux in a VM, which may be less than absolutely perfect (but probably decent) if you spend the vast majority of your time in the Linux desktop. The above assumes that we are talking about desktop computers and you will be working at your desk. Hope it helps. -- Oleg Goldshmidt | [EMAIL PROTECTED] | http://www.goldshmidt.org ================================================================= To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
