[Fwd: Re: [plug] Windows and Linux]

[Bret Busby]

This is a resend attempt.

That is because iiNet apparently had a resolution problem with the DNS,
causing the first email to bounce.

Bret Busby

................................

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [plug] Windows and Linux
Date: Fri, 07 Jul 2000 12:05:38 +0800
From: Bret Busby <bret at clearsol.iinet.net.au>
To: plug at plug.linux.org.au
References: <39655027.1666AA05 at harvestroad.com>

Michael De Santis wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I would like to hear from anyone who has installed linux on a window
> 98/2000 machine using VMware.
> 
> Reason - Looking for a solution for a sales people who use windows on
> their laptops but required to demo products that run on Linux. Normally
> I would recommend installing windows on a linux machine (using VMware)
> but the sales people are not computer savvy.
> 
> Of course I would also like to hear of any better solutions that any may
> have.

I am not sure whether it would be of any help, but, from memory, there
is a Linux distribution, which can be installed within a Windows
partition, and, run from there, so, possibly, overcoming the need for
running Linux on VMWare on top of Windows.

I have no idea how good it is, or, whether that configuration is stable,
but, it is a possibility that you might want to consider...

I understood that VMWare could run on WinNT, but I was not aware that it
could run on Win98. If VMWare can be run on Win98, given the instability
of Win98, I would be dubious, of running anything like VMWare, on Win98.

I have just visited the VMware website, and, VMWare for Linux, and,
VMWare for Win NT and Win 2000, are offered, but, not VMWare for Win98.
On the web page, at http://www.vmware.com/products/detailedwindows.html
, the OS requirements are either Win NT 4, or Win 2000.

So, apart from the realtive instability of Win98, you might have a
problem with it running on Win 2000.

Given that Win 2000 apparently cannot be run in command line mode, at
the same time as running in GUI mode (from what I understand, to get to
command line mode, the computer has to be rebooted into DOS mode, thus
not being able to run a DOS session, and a Windows session,
concurrently), Win 2000 might not be a good idea.

As some of the later Linux distributions can now be installed, and run,
without the user having to see a command line, perhaps, one of these
distributions would be appropriate, with the VMWare running on top of
the Linux, and the Windows versions running on top of that, as, it
should be able to be used by people who are not so "computer savvy". It
would also, likely, be more stable than running VMWare on top of
Windows.

I trust that your people have sufficiently powerful laptops, to run the
stuff? From what I understand, at least 32 MB is required for each of
the base OS, and, each of the virtual machines, and, from what I have
seen, and, from what I understand, about 128MB of RAM, and, a good, fast
CPU, are required, to effectively use WMWare. The web page above,
recommends a minimum of 128MB of RAM.

But, I say all of this, as an observer, and, no doubt, others on the
list, will be able to offer better advice.

-- 

Bret Busby

......................................