This is one of the latest things that I have tried out while on Ubuntu and what can I say, I am really impressed, especially with the “Seamless Mode” which looks something like this:

Basically what VirtualBox does (and in way this is the correct definition, I am just saying what I think it does) is that it emulates an environment on your current (host) OS and allows you to install another OS in that emulated environment. All that VirtualBox creates is a big ass file that grows as you load more shit on the OS that you are emulating and then various files for the snapshots if you were to take any.

The “big ass file” that VirtualBox has created on my system is 1.5GB in size where I have Windows XP installed and Winamp! Though it is obvious that the more stuff you install the bigger that file will get, like with any OS where you install more software it will eat more space!

The other “various files” are snapshots of sessions that you can take in case you fuck something you can revert back to a saved point. So lets say for instance you just installed Winamp and then you go and uninstall some audio drivers which will fuck up your audio and you can’t hear anything. Rather than you having to fixing it like you would have to if you were running it as your main OS you can just revert back before you started messing around and voila, all good. On my system the files are around 200Mb-300Mb, but that vary too.

Really you are running an OS within another OS in an emulate environment. It is pretty fucked up and NOT what you could call Windows software on an Linux platform, but the “Seamless Mode” just makes it a whole lot better than Wine - in my opinion anyhow.

True it is a bit confusing configuring the emulated OS to transfer files with the host (main OS) but that is easily fixed once you read the manual I haven’t yet configured the emulated (guest) OS to connect to the internet as you have to bridge the connection between the guest OS and the host OS for which you have to install some packages and do some hardcore configuring of files manually through terminal which I haven’t got around to doing that yet!

Though I can say that I am pleased that I am able to run Winamp and DFX and to put to good use my Logitech Z-550!

Back to sharing files in between the guest OS and the host OS, just so you know you have to select the folders which you want shared in VirtualBox and then those folders will become available in the gust OS (the OS which is being emulated) via “Network Places >> Entire Network >> VirtualBox Shared Folders”.

Useful websites:
Installing VirtualBox On Ubuntu
Installing VirtualBox OSE on Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon
Installing Virtualbox and Windows in Ubuntu
Vista on Ubuntu Using VirtualBox
Create and Manage Virtual Machines Using VirtualBox

P.S. To be able to install any guest OS on a host OS through VirtualBox you will need the installation CD or an CD image (.iso, .bin, etc.) for that particular OS!