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Off-Topic Have some non-FreeBSD related questions, or want just to chit-chat about anything that is not related to FreeBSD? This is the forum for you.

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Old August 3rd, 2012, 23:23
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Default Why would anyone want to run FreeBSD in a virtual machine?
From browsing the forum, it seems that a lot of people run their FreeBSD using Bochs, Virtualbox and similar software. I was just wondering why someone would want to do this, rather than install it on the 'bare metal'?

I would like to learn why people choose to do this.
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Old August 3rd, 2012, 23:55
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I don't believe anyone is running it in Bochs. It's the slowest Virtual Machine
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Old August 4th, 2012, 00:12
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Using VMware allows me to run several different (i386/amd64, 7/8/9/10) instances of FreeBSD on my Mac, which is what I primarily use for work. Using VMware also allows me to run a wide range of different operating systems at the same time on the same server, which is a much more efficient use of hardware resources. Not to mention all the great benefits you get with virtualization, like using templates for instant deployment of new servers, migration of running machines between physical servers without any downtime, high availability etc.
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Old August 4th, 2012, 00:49
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Running FreeBSD in a VM on a notebook lets the native OS handle all the hardware and power management. It also makes both systems accessible at the same time.
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Old August 4th, 2012, 02:41
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It's better to ask "Why would anyone want to use virtual machine?"
The great concept from IBM CP-40(1967) till now. there's more resource out there on the web.
Personally, why I am using vms? Two thumbs up: ++(joel@) & ++(wblock@)
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Old August 4th, 2012, 06:10
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Running FreeBSD in a VM on a notebook lets the native OS handle all the hardware and power management.
+1. I'm considering going back to this arrangement myself on my notebook. Power management on Windows has, in my experience at least, been much better. I've also found that wireless performance has been more reliable on my X220 Thinkpad on Windows than with FreeBSD or Debian.

Another reason someone would run FreeBSD or Linux as a guest OS under Windows is to get access to a Unix-like operating environment without having to use something like cygwin. More to the point, some of the development tools I use only run on BSD/Linux/*nix operating systems, not on Windows - cygwin isn't an option in that case.
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Old August 4th, 2012, 15:28
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In my case, it cuts down on the number of physical machines that I need to have around. I recently moved my Squeezebox server from a physical machine to a VirtualBox vm, and I have a few test machines also as VirtualBox vm's.
Of course, the VirtualBox host machine also runs FreeBSD.
Some things are hard to test in virtual machines, that is why I still have a number of physical machines in my apartment.

One last thing: my main workstation is a physical desktop machine, running FreeBSD.
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Old August 4th, 2012, 19:46
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Quote:
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In my case, it cuts down on the number of physical machines that I need to have around. I recently moved my Squeezebox server from a physical machine to a VirtualBox vm, and I have a few test machines also as VirtualBox vm's.
Of course, the VirtualBox host machine also runs FreeBSD.
Some things are hard to test in virtual machines, that is why I still have a number of physical machines in my apartment.

One last thing: my main workstation is a physical desktop machine, running FreeBSD.
Is there a FreeBSD version of Squeezebox server? I thought linux and windows only were supported?
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Old August 5th, 2012, 02:24
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Slimserver / Squeezebox server has been in ports for quite some time. The version there at present isn't completely up to date with Logitech Media Server but that may not matter to you. I have rarely kept pace with current, in recent years, and am not missing out on anything personally.

See audio/squeezeboxserver
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Old August 5th, 2012, 06:17
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I run FreeBSD as my host OS and I also run FreeBSD in VirtualBox as a test bed when I try new things/tutorials that differ from person to person/shaky advice from unknown sources.
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Old August 6th, 2012, 03:04
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I run FreeBSD as my host OS and I also run FreeBSD in VirtualBox as a test bed when I try new things/tutorials that differ from person to person/shaky advice from unknown sources.
I'm acquiring some disk space to do the same. =)
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Old August 6th, 2012, 08:05
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No one mentioned snapshots yet?
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Old August 6th, 2012, 12:56
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And immutable disk images, and differencing images.
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Old August 8th, 2012, 21:22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by neilms
Why would anyone want to run FreeBSD in a virtual machine?
A: Can you think of something better to run on it? </rimshot>

A: What better use of Windows 7 than to run FreeBSD? </buckshot>

But, seriously ... they gave me a Windows box. They don't want it reformatted. What am I to do?
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Old August 18th, 2012, 15:28
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Imaging and less physical hardware are probably the "best" reasons.
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Old August 18th, 2012, 16:25
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But, seriously ... they gave me a Windows box. They don't want it reformatted. What am I to do?
Create image of that hard drive, wipe the Windows, install Your OS, do the work.

When You will be asked to return it, restore that image and give it back.

I can not think of a situation, when someone FORCES me to use other OS then I want.

I do not go to the CEO office and say, get rid of that Macbook, from now on You work on Windows and I require the same thing.
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Old August 18th, 2012, 16:49
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I can not think of a situation, when someone FORCES me to use other OS then I want.
I can think of dozens of my clients where you'd be forced to use their choice, not your choice, of OS. Many, if not most, medium to large corporations dictate IT policy to a degree where the OS and application software an employee may use is simply not up for debate. There may be some exceptions made for specific job descriptions or the anointed few.

Some organizations exercise sufficient control over their Windows installations that employees may not even install software on their own, meaning no VirtualBox and no FreeBSD under these oppressive regimes.

Free the computers!
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Old August 18th, 2012, 17:41
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I can think of dozens of my clients where you'd be forced to use their choice, not your choice, of OS. Many, if not most, medium to large corporations dictate IT policy to a degree where the OS and application software an employee may use is simply not up for debate. There may be some exceptions made for specific job descriptions or the anointed few.

Some organizations exercise sufficient control over their Windows installations that employees may not even install software on their own, meaning no VirtualBox and no FreeBSD under these oppressive regimes.

Free the computers!
I currently work for a corporation that has a lot more then 20 000 employees (I do not want to go into details) and I agree that random John Doe can (and in some cases should be) forced to use a standardized platform, that corporation has chosen.

But this is not the case for administrators. We need to get sh!t done and its our responsibility for what and how we use. Of course most of the administrators use Windows with several OSX exceptions (I also tired to use OSX for a year but failed to find it more productive then FreeBSD), some use Linux (Ubuntu or Fedora mostly) and I use FreeBSD. Before I joined that coporopation, there also was an OpenBSD maniac, but surprisingly, he used OSX for workstation
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Old August 18th, 2012, 18:27
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vermaden, it is good to be one of the anointed few, isn't it?
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Old August 18th, 2012, 19:22
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@mwatkins

What do You mean by that?
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Old August 18th, 2012, 23:54
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vermaden, only that I'm glad your job puts you in the group of employees who get to circumvent rules made for most users. Freedom is nice.

Or maybe I meant that it is good to be one of the anointed few who enjoy FreeBSD.

Either way... dzień dobry!

(Sorry that's close to my limit for Polish; my mother speaks the language but I didn't learn much more than pass-the-potatoes, I-like-beer, thank-you, good-bye, good-night and of course good day. Oh and some swear words from the Polish raised kids on our old farm.)
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Old August 19th, 2012, 03:21
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I work at a company where people are free to use whatever software they wish. Much time is wasted by people using certain OSes (Linux primarily) and for some reason, it's tolerated.

I don't take issue with IT policies within organizations, when they are reasonable. Forcing the use of specific OSes falls within reason if you ask me. It simplifies supporting the systems, and keeps people using the same software when it counts (MS Word for example).
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Old August 19th, 2012, 11:42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mwatkins View Post
vermaden, only that I'm glad your job puts you in the group of employees who get to circumvent rules made for most users. Freedom is nice.

Or maybe I meant that it is good to be one of the anointed few who enjoy FreeBSD.
Ok

To be precise about FreeBSD, I am the only one who uses it. Others often confuse it with Linux which is very annoying, but I was charismatic enough to put several or more FreeBSD into the very important servers out there and they work great.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mwatkins View Post
Either way... dzień dobry!

(Sorry that's close to my limit for Polish; my mother speaks the language but I didn't learn much more than pass-the-potatoes, I-like-beer, thank-you, good-bye, good-night and of course good day. Oh and some swear words from the Polish raised kids on our old farm.)
Heh, dzień dobry mwatkins

Polish people often go to other countries (immigration) where life is not that fsckud up as in Poland or it is just more simple to do the living without being afraid that You run out of money for living. Good to know that Your mother found a new (for sure better) home.

Polish swears are great, I just them all the time and a lot of people here do, its one of our ways to cope with this fsckud up country

Tell You mom: Dobrze zrobilaś, ze opusciłas ten chory kraj, nie wracaj tutaj, nie ma do czego, jak brakuje rodziny to po prostu ją tam sciągnij.
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Old August 19th, 2012, 17:24
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Originally Posted by vermaden View Post
But this is not the case for administrators. We need to get sh!t done and its our responsibility for what and how we use.
So, too, said Dennis Ritchie as to why he immediately installed cygwin, at least, on any Windows computer anyone would give him.
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Old August 25th, 2012, 05:07
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Slimserver / Squeezebox server has been in ports for quite some time. The version there at present isn't completely up to date with Logitech Media Server but that may not matter to you. I have rarely kept pace with current, in recent years, and am not missing out on anything personally.

See audio/squeezeboxserver


does this have an HTML5 front end?
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