From article on front page, regarding Microsoft Virtual PC:

[jmmijo 1]

I tried the Virtual PC app a few times when it was still Connectix

 

It's actually best for companies/developers looking to test their apps on many different flavors of Windows for sure. This way they can actually make up virtual machines for each flavor of OS, not just Windows too.

 

You know APK, I can see you using something like this but since you're already using VMware it's really redundent don't you think

 

As for users like me, I've got a ton of older machines and hardware lying around so I've got a few flavors of older OS's too, like an old Dell Optiplex P200 for playing older DOS games

 

Then an AMD K6/2 box for running DOS/Win3.xx along with an old Ensonique Soundscape card.

 

For me it's fun just putting together some older DOS boxes or what not just to see the old parts still working, like those blasted 540MB Conner HD's

[clutch 1]

It's OK. I like VMWare better, but VPC is available for the Mac and it's free with my MSDN subscription, so it's what I'll be using soon.

[sapiens74 0]

Virtual PC rules

 

 

I use version 5.2 and hear that may include the new on in the action pack (hold my breath) but I run Linux, Mandrake 9.2, Windows 2000, and Windows 98 all side by side

 

 

Cool prgram

 

and its cheaper now with the MS name on it

[duhmez 0]

i was a beta tester for the original windows port of virtual PC, and I've been using it ever since. beta testers got it for half price, $99.00. (currently on 5.2.)

 

I just saw microsoft is offering to all licensed virtual pc 4 and 5 users to get a FREE CD of MS virtual pc 2004; the coupon must be printed off and mailed away by March to qualify. Getting this free upgrade CD costs a mere $14.00. (This is not a joke, the free upgrade costs $14.00.) no download link or online submission form, just a microsoft word format document to print off and snail mail.......

 

I was not happy when Microsoft acquired Connectix I must say.

 

Back to the point, it's fantastic. I absolutely love it. It's become somewhat of a "must have" for me, I'd feel naked without it. Messing with servers , alternative OSes, and legacy applicaitons/games, all in multiple windows simultaneously, is glorious. Magic the Gathering, Duels of the Planeswalkers, does not work in windows 2000 (at least not for me) and for this one game the program was worth the price. I would think any programmer would get alot of good use out of it too, testing their programs in different native environments.

 

Even more so, Web designers should be al over this, they can have a different version of IE loaded in many vpc's, with the different verison sof windows.

 

And of course, my machine is plenty fast enough to drive these extra OSes.

 

What I hope for now is SMP support for the main app, 5.2 and lower I know runs on one CPU. I was squaking for SMP support all through the beta test period, but they weren't on the ball on this one. (And you can't run it twice, too bad truly.)

 

I hope microsoft will add SMP support anyways seems liek a crime to me a program of this nature hasn't been. (I don't care if the guests have one CPU, I want the APP to grab all the cpu it can.)

 

I've not tried VMWare, however in the forum at the time VPC was having much greater success with old games than VMWare.