Tip: VMWare for testing multiple platforms (WAS RE: [thelist] Has anyone worked with dual IE versions?)

[Colin Strasser]

OK, Mr. Aylard mentions VMWare in passing, but it really deserves special
attention.

<tip author="Colin Strasser (colin at u2i.com)" type="testing and debugging">
VMWare is an application that emulates a fully-working Intel computer.
("VM" stands for "virtual machine.")  Since it only runs on Intel computers,
you might wonder why this is so cool.

The answer is that VMWare lets you save many virtual machines'
configuations, so a single computer running, say, Windows NT can be used to
test programs under Windows 95, 98 and ME, using IE3, 4, 5, 5.5, whatever.
It also lets you discard changes to the virtual machines when you "shut
down" (i.e., quit VMWare), so you have a pristine configuation every time
you want to test -- no matter what junk you've installed previously, or how
you've mucked around with the registry.  That makes it even better for
testing than individual computers, separately configured.  (Besides the fact
it takes up a lot less desk space and uses less power. ;)

If you need to test what's happening with your site or software under
Windows 95A with IE3, it's easy to set up exactly that configuration
(assuming you have a copy of Windows 95A and IE3, of course).  It's saved us
WEEKS of frustration.

You can find out more about their primary product at
http://www.vmware.com/products/desktop/ws_features.html
</tip>

-----Original Message-----
From: thelist-admin at lists.evolt.org
[mailto:thelist-admin at lists.evolt.org]On Behalf Of Aylard JA (James)
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2001 7:07 PM

... Long answer: it can't be done on the same computer unless you have
another bootable partition on which to install it, or you have emulation
software such as VMWare (http://www.vmware.com/) in which you can install
and run it. ...