Linux on the Mac

I’m writing this in Firefox running on Ubuntu Linux (version 7.04, aka "Feisty Fawn"), which is running in a virtual machine within the free VMWare Fusion beta on Rona’s MacBook Pro. I intalled VMWare Fusion so that I could install Windows in a virtual machine and test Web pages in Internet Explorer. I installed all the Windows updates, which means it now has IE7. Since I’d like to also be able to test pages in IE6, it seems I have a couple options.

I could grab a different copy of Windows off my shelf and install it in a different virtual machine, and then not upgrade to IE7. A trickier option I’m trying to get to work is this: You can download MS Virtual PC for free, as well as a timebombed disk image which includes Windows XP Pro SP2 with IE6 installed. This virtual hard drive will expire in August. In theory I’ll be able to download another virtual hard disk at that time. Anyway, so far I haven’t been able to get Windows in Virtual PC to run in Windows in VMware Fusion. We’ll see if I can get it working before Keegan arrives.