Talking about virtualization at Microsoft (Virtual PC, Virtual Server and Windows virtualization).
I have oftened been asked "what do the people who read your blog use virtualization for"? So - I thought it was due time to ask you:
I look forward to seeing the responses.
Cheers,Ben
Too bad you can't select multiple items.
Agreed, I use seperate VPCs for development, testing and demonstration of applications on different Operating Systems.
Yes - I agree. But just choose the one you do most often :-)
Cheers,
Ben
I use VPCs for development testing on different OS/browsers and if I install software that is not working on my current OS.
Michael
I need to run 16-bit software. This breaks after XP has been running for a while, for some reason.
So I run a VM image with XP and just this software.
I use it to access suspected phishing sites received in messages. Just to test.
I primarely use Virtual Server to test and show SharePoint solutions without having to be connected to "real servers".
Mostly I have two Win 2003 Server servers (1 FE and 1 SQL Server BE)
Occationally I use it to set up environments with older versions of the Ms Office for development and testing of solutions I build.
The ability to rank multiple uses would have given you a poll to cover most users in the survey.
I am a consultant - I use it to have a seperate (and controlled) environment for a particular client site - without having to touch my host laptop.
Such things as
o logging into their domain - without having to change the domain on the host
o different version of software (Office 2007 on host - vs 2000 at client site)
and so on...
To test web sites in different browsers/OS'.
Also use it to run software that does not work with IE 7 or Vista.
btw Ubuntu 7.04 does not have a working mouse when running in Virtual PC 2007.
Seeing as no video drivers for Vista (or is it Vista's fault itself?) can do full mode console apps, that pretty much kills VDMSound as a choice for getting old DOS games working. That leaves emulation (DOSBox) and virtualization (Virtual PC). Virtual PC is harder to set up but is the better choice at the end of the day.
I also use VPC and QEMU to preview downloaded ISO images. ReactOS, Ubuntu, the OLPC OS, etc.
As far as I can tell, you can vote multiple times - at least, I've voted twice (once for each of my uses) and it confirmed each vote.
-AG
Several uses
- trying out new versions of apps I have without screwing up my current environment.
- trying out shareware in an isolated environment.
- run linux occasionally w/o dedicating a whole machine to it or dealing with dual boot.
- browser testing.
It's a tool, and a great one. I've probably gone through most of those choices since Connectix brought the program out. It depends on my situation, need, or job at the time.
It's almost like asking what you use MS Word for? Well, everything!
Currently, for testing various applications in a controlled environment on differnet operating systems. It's also fun to try different OS's too. I keep a DOS/Win3.1 VM handy for fun.
Zufoo - look like this is a Linux bug:
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=234348
I use it for many things
- App Compatibility - I still use some apps that dont work in Vista. (It would be cool to do some CD burning in the VPC...)
- Developing new software - under Vista(Host, usually), XP and 2000.
- Training myself or others - I use it to see other user's OS on my computer, for providing tech support.
- Security - again, phishing sites, and booting into Linux CDs is annoying.
- OS Enthusiast - I like to play old DOS and Windows 3.1 games.
I'm also in the "everything" camp. Specifically, I use the host OS to run VMs and Photoshop. Looking at what's running right now at work I have: a bunch of file explorers, Outlook, TextPad, Foobar2000 (music), IE (timesheet, intranet, devtrack only).
I use VMs for:
- development (standard dev env for all devs)
- build host
- browsing
- browsing foreign websites (eg using Mandarin XP)
- testing, especially disposable VMs for testing shareware/trialware
- testing installers (I have a library of VMs for this with ~20 OS's so far)
- photo editing (Bibble, BreezeBrowser, DL Pro, Paint Shop Pro) except PhotoShop coz it works so much better with 4GB/4 disks native.
We use VPC for development and testing SharePoint.
I use it to run old 16 bit programs
In our case we make use of virtualization due to differenting client needs. Our product is made up of a number of modules, each set of which is different for each of our dozen or so client. So the code base I need for one client is slightly different from another, but just enough that I can't have both on the same PC at the same time and still expect things to work. So we use it for the different shades of gray in our development environment. No coincidence then, our Testing/QA dept also uses it to test the different client in environments that can closely mimic the client's for more accurate results.
I use VPC to allow me to run the 16-bit linker from MASM 6.11 to complete a build for firmware that I develop. I use Vista x64 to utilize a >4GB of system memory and this is the only reason that I have to have a VPC at work.
I also use a VPC on Vista at home to allow me to use our company VPN solution in an XP VPC since none of the VPN tools will install in Vista x32 or X64.
In this regard Virtual PC is a real big help for me. I have been an early adopter of NT4,W2k,XP and now Vista and this VPC being free is one of the smartest things that MS has done in facilitating the transitions.
Thanks
No all of the above option? I use it for every one of those choices and there's no good way to pick the most common except to say that the last choice, hobby/games, is the least often.
I use it to provide effective IT Support. I run multiple versions of Windows, Office, and other apps inside different virtual machines, so when i talk to people on the phone i can start a VM that is similar to what they are running.
