Virtual PC 2007 beta

Now that I've flattened my laptop and gone to running nothing but Vista, I need to re-install all the applications I use in my work. And one application I use a lot is Virtual PC. We use it for demos, proof-of-concepts, and for re-creating all the various development environments that we've built around pre-release versions of Office: everything from DF4 through B1, B1TR, B2, B2TR, and later builds.

So I just installed the latest beta version of Virtual PC 2007 (you can download it here), and it works great with Vista. To the right is a screen shot of RedHat Linux running in a VPC on my Vista machine, and it boots up without any problems, runs fast, and there's even glass around the edges. How cool is that?

As for why I'd be running a Linux VPC on my Vista laptop here in Redmond, that's another story for another day. Open XML is in the story, that's all I'll say for now. :-)

Comments

• Anonymous
  October 17, 2006
  Why Redhat? Not a loaded question, honest. I don't have the rabid Linux opinions that a lot of people have. I'm just wondering -- my understanding is that it's a bit more temperamental sometimes than other Linux options (something that might work for you or against you in the proof-of-concept world). Or am I treading dangerously close to the Story For Another Day?

• Anonymous
  October 17, 2006
  I must plead ignorance on Linux versions, Tom, so I'm not sure of the answer to your question.  And I can't say any more without giving away some of the SFAD.  :-)

• Anonymous
  October 17, 2006
  Got it -- don't get yourself disappeared on my account! This looks great, though -- if VPC can run as smoothly and quickly as Vista (I took the full-on plunge yesterday, and I'm not sorry at all so far), this is pretty amazing.