Comparison of Virtualisation options?

[Clayton]

> I want to run some Windows games, some with moderately
> heavy 3D, on my Xubuntu desktop box. The machine should
> have more than enough resources (dual 2666 MHz, 2 gigs
> RAM, Intel G31 onboard video).

The simple answer is do not expect to be able to play any games that
require Direct3D (ie the games with the moderately heavy 3D) in
Windows running in VMWare or VirtualBox.  Those VMs cannot (yet)
handle 3D acceleration very well, if at all.  VMWare is working on
supporting 3D accelerated graphics, but last I checked, it is not
working all that well - it's still what I would call VERY
experimental.

For games you are usually better off either:
 - trying out the native Linux games.. there are a lot... take a look at:
   *  http://www.linux-gamers.net
   *  http://www.happypenguin.org
   *  http://www.games4linux.eu/en/
   *  http://www.linuxgamepublishing.com/
   *  http://www.linuxgames.com/
   *  http://www.tuxgames.com/
   *  http://www.liflg.org/  (not 100% for native games... but
provides install tools to install games that run well in Wine etc)
   *  Finding other game developers that produce games that run
natively in Linux such as (just to name a few):
      -  http://www.notforidiots.com/SFE/
      -  http://www.atitd.com/
      -  http://www.rainslick.com/
      -  http://www.rune-soft.com

 - trying Cedega from Transgaming (adapted version of Wine with a GUI
frontend for installing and launching games)  The Cedega.com website
has info about which games work and which don't. See also
http://cedegawiki.sweetleafstudios.com/wiki/Main_Page

 - using Wine to run the games... see resources such as:
   * http://appdb.winehq.org/appbrowse.php?iCatId=2
   * http://frankscorner.org/

 - Setting up a dual boot.. and boot to Windows so you can run the
games natively.

This is not a complete list of Linux game resources and options.. just
a small snapshot of what is available.

Personally... I use Cedega (and sometimes Wine) for the few games I
play that do not have Linux native clients (eg World of Warcraft)...
for the rest I play native Linux games... and there are some VERY good
ones out there... X-Plane, Rain Slick Precipice or Darkness, Savage,
BOS Wars, Neverwinter Nights, etc etc.

C.