Imagine not one, but two, three or more separate operating systems loaded on a single PC, each of which functions as a separate OS on a separate physical machine. VMware Workstation 4 does just that by creating and managing one or more virtual machines on a single, physical host PC. Every virtual machine is a full-fledged virtual PC, where you can install a guest operating system of your choice, with network configuration and a full suite of PC software.

However, while each virtual OS essentially operates as if it is the only OS on the PC, too many OS' loaded on a physical machine at once can tax resources. Every virtual machine thus takes a share of the system's resources.

The first version of this program dates back to 1999. Since then the US Software house VMware has made significant improvements. Each update has added new functionalities and compatibility for the latest hardware and operating systems.

VMware Workstation 4 is certified for working with 2000, Windows XP Home and Professional, Windows Server 2003 and Linux (you will find the details about each single Linux distribution on the developer's website).