Still on the Fence About a Linux Switch? Try a Taste Test with Virtualization

These days, it seems like everyone is talking about Linux. And with benefits such as rock-solid security, virus-resistant code, and fanatical support communities, it’s really no wonder.
And best of all, it’s F-R-E-E forever!

Although Linux has been around for many years, it’s always been the domain of geeks and expert hackers. For the average individual, it was never really practical.
But over the past few years, a number of new desktop environments have been released that make it very easy and practical for novice computer users. If there’s ever been a time to try out Linux, now is that time.

Several years ago, when I tried building my first Linux box, experimenting was a real drag. I had to go find an old clunker computer and install it. That’s a luxury that not all computer users might have.
Otherwise, you would’ve had to spend hours reformatting your machine and setting it up for “dual-boot”. Then, whenever you turned on your computer, you’d have to pick from one of 2 or more operating systems.

If you were doing something on Windows, and you wanted to compare the experience to Linux, you would have to reboot your machine just to try it out. The time between switching could be 10 minutes or longer.
And it’s hard enough switching between 2 operating systems. If you were trying to experiment with 3 or 4 different flavours of Linux, it was a real time-consuming headache.

But today’s computer users have it much easier thanks to Virtualization technology. Today, there are free tools online that will allow you to run a virtual computer inside of a window on your Windows machine… just like a web site or software program. This way, you can try out Red Hat, Ubuntu and SUSE Linux at the same time without requiring an extra machine or shutting down Windows.
If you’re just looking to dip your feet, this is a great way to simultaneously test out your daily routines across various environments. This will help you get the best idea of which OS is right for you… with the least amount of inconvenience.

To get started with your own virtualization Linux “taste test”, I’d suggest downloading the Virtual Box from Sun Microsystems. This application is free and easy to use.

Linux is no longer just for uber-geeks. Today, even the average home user has a lot to gain from switching. If you haven’t tried out Linux yet, THIS is the time find out why everybody loves it so much.