[KLUG Members] vmware, uml, plex86

[Adam Tauno Williams]

>I know a number of people on this list (including me) are using vmware.
>I read an article about UML (User Mode Linux) and plex86 this weekend.
>I'm wondering if anyone has had the opportunity to try either of these

Yes, in brief, several months ago.

>out. After visiting the respecitve websites (listed below), it looks to
>me like UML is more mature than plex86. But then again, the two are sort
>of apples and oranges. plex86 looks like an open source alternative to
>vmware, whereas UML only runs Linux on top of Linux.

There is also BOCHS which is in the "like vmware" catagory, bieng an IA-32
emulator.  It even works.  In some ways it is better than VMware as it can
emulate SMP and has RFB (i.e. VNC) display modes.  But is quite a bit slower
than VMware (at least the last time I tried it).
http://bochs.sourceforge.net/ 

When I looked at plex86 it wasn't really useful for anything.

I decided to plunk down the $300 buck and use VMware until BOCHS gets a little
more mature.  VMware is the only $$$ app on my box, and it annoys me slightly.

>UML is apprently used by kernel developers for testing changes to what
>they are working on. 
>One of the intriguing things about UML was the idea of a hosting service
>giving a customer a whole machine, root access and all. It's contained
>in it's own file (the virtual machine). If the customer blows it up, big
>deal!

UML is soooo cooool it keeps one awake at night.  With UML+XFS+LVM on an SMP box
you just sit back and pretend you've got your own mainframe.  I'm waiting very
impatiently for it (and XFS or JFS) to get into the main kernel tree.

Systems and Network Administrator
Morrison Industries
1825 Monroe Ave NW.
Grand Rapids, MI. 49505