Ian Rawlings

On 2007-11-27, Gordon <gbplinux@gmail.com.invalid> wrote:

> Which is safer, to install linux, and run XP in a virtual machine (I have
> Office 2007 which AFAIK won't run in WINE yet) or to keep my current
> installation of XP and Office 2007 and run Linux in a virtual machine for
> browsing, newsgroups etc?

I find it easier to run windows in a virtual machine than I do to run
linux in one, mostly because Windows is more homogenous than Linux so
it's much easier to install the relevant drivers to get the best
performance out of windows inside the VM. I have linux inside VMs as
well but some of the additional drivers don't work very well with my
distro (gentoo) and need to be bodged in a little as they weren't
really made to run with gentoo and the portage tree very well. Mind
you I've not updated them recently so perhaps that's changed.

Windows inside the VM works very well on the other hand, and I can
even run itunes and sync my ipod quickly with it, and run HP's hateful
scanning software with my not-really-linux-compatible-yet HP Scanjet
5590 scanner. Support for windows inside VMs is better on the VMWare
forums too, problems tend to get fixed quicker.

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!