VMware offers Linux and Windows at the same time

Linux specialist, VMware has launched a virtual machine (VM) that lets users run Linux and Windows applications on the same platform.

The Linux VM is not an emulator, the company said, as it has its own IP number and uses the host to communicate with the computer as an application does.

The VM supports up to four IDE hard drives, a floppy drive, sound card and uses the TCP/IP protocol. It also enables users to switch between operating systems.

Rob Hailstone, research director at Bloor Research, said the product sounded "quite useful" but lacked many of the features that corporates need. "It would be more useful if you could copy and paste between Linux and Windows NT, and it sounds extremely resource-hungry. It's nice to have, but whether it's useful depends entirely on the applications you are running," he said.

Hailstone added: "I'm not convinced there is a huge market for a complex operating system. This is a solution for people that need to run both operating systems, but it won't convince corporates to go out and run Linux," he said.

Hailstone said the price - $299 per seat - might also deter potential customers. "This is quite a lot of money, considering you are not paying for Linux. This pricing is over the top and would put companies off."