Wouldn’t it be great to install Linux without obliterating what you already have? Why mess with a perfectly functional operating system to experiment with a different one you might not even like?
This was my thought process a few years ago. I had just wiped out a perfectly good Microsoft Windows installation to try Ubuntu for the first time. I didn’t know if it would work, or if I’d even like Ubuntu.
Little did I know that it was possible to try Ubuntu without erasing Windows or risking it with a messy dual-boot setup. If only I had known about virtual machines.
What Is a Virtual Machine
A virtual machine is a program that runs on your normal computer and emulates another computer. It’s a fake computer in a real computer. If that explanation doesn’t make sense, perhaps a picture will help.
