LinuxQuestions.org - Free VMware Player

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Free VMware Player

VMware released a free player which can load and run a virtual machine instance. So, if you are trying to decide if linux is for you, you can get the player, download an instance and try it out.

There aren't that many instances out there yet, but it would be great if the different linux vendors would create some. Might be easier on users to see if its a reasonable option for them.

While LiveCDs are a great idea, this will let users keep running Windows while fooling around with linux.

http://www.vmware.com/products/player/
http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/vm/

This is a great thing and will really help sales and distribution, but be aware that you are limited to vm's that are single processor. While this is not normally a problem for most users, I only have one pc with a single processor, and it's a laptop. Most of the servers I'm using vmware to build deployment systems and such on are also multiprocessor.

It is a good thing though, don't get me wrong, I just wish they had not crippled it thusly.

Also, try the linux version of vmware if you get the option, I have much better utilization with it, the only thing so far that runs better is ESX...but it has problems with the new server so it's sitting on a basically unused computer that I bought ESX for a few years ago. Sad really.

Just to go over a few things to let people know more about tohe potential of this. whilst the software here has to have a pre-made VM to run, it is totally possible to make your OWN vm's with just a few other apps. For example you can use QEmu to make a virtual disk for vmware, under windows this would apparently be:

Code:

"C:\Program Files\Qemu\qemu-img.exe" create -f vmdk c:\linux\gentoo.vmdk 10G

and i'd assume an obvious replacement for linux would be fine:

Code:

qemu-img create -f vmdk /home/user/gentoo.vmdk 10G

and then all you need after that is a .vmx config file:

Code:

config.version = "8"

virtualHW.version = "4"

memsize = "256"

ide0:0.present = "TRUE"

ide0:0.fileName = "c:\linux\gentoo.vmdk"

ide1:0.present = "TRUE"

ide1:0.fileName = "c:\linux\install-x86-minimal-2005.1.iso"

ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"

ethernet0.connectionType = "nat"

usb.present = "TRUE"

sound.present = "TRUE"

sound.virtualDev = "es1371"

displayName = "Gentoo Linux"

guestOS = "other26xlinux"

nvram = "gentoo.nvram"

scsi0:0.redo = ""

ethernet0.addressType = "generated"

uuid.location = "56 4d d9 96 08 47 ef ee-bf f2 48 a8 ce 89 7f 68"

uuid.bios = "56 4d d9 96 08 47 ef ee-bf f2 48 a8 ce 89 7f 68"

ide1:0.autodetect = "TRUE"

ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:89:7f:68"

ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"

checkpoint.vmState = "gentoo.vmss"

tools.remindInstall = "TRUE"

ide0:0.redo = ""

as you'll see tis info is largely taken from this page: http://fucoder.com/2005/10/install-g...re-windows-xp/

There's also reference here to an exhaustive set of predefined images:http://www.brunofreitas.com/portal/viewtopic.php?t=41 so t's easier still... so basically you can legitimately get a near full on vmware experience without it costing a penny.

Quote:

Originally posted by acid_kewpie
Just to go over a few things to let people know more about tohe potential of this. whilst the software here has to have a pre-made VM to run, it is totally possible to make your OWN vm's with just a few other apps. For example you can use QEmu to make a virtual disk for vmware, under windows this would apparently be:[code]
--snip--
ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"
There's also reference here to an exhaustive set of predefined images:http://www.brunofreitas.com/portal/viewtopic.php?t=41 so t's easier still... so basically you can legitimately get a near full on vmware experience without it costing a penny.

Great link Chris, that guy had some very nifty tricks for getting the most out of the player. They may lose a bit of sales due to people finding more and more ways to circumvent licensing(which people were going to do anyway, they're people after all), I think it will more than make up for it when people see just what the possibilities are for vmware. Of every piece of software I've ever used, vmware is still my number one favourite pick.