Using Virtual Appliance on VMware Fusion or VirtualBox is a great way to test any Framework, Database, CMS including WordPress just like using localhost. Previously we wrote how Virtual Appliances actually works and this article on Using Virtual Appliance on VMware Fusion or VirtualBox, we will show the practical method of using this still not so popular in the consumer market. After understanding and using Virtual Appliance on VMware Fusion or VirtualBox you will probably avoid using usual traditional localhost – yes, this is the method we use for creation of various localhost based guides.
Using Virtual Appliance on VMware Fusion or VirtualBox : Basic Startup Resources
Startup resources means, we are taking that you have very less idea about Virtualization Software. Best to start with this guide – where we have shown running Ubuntu Linux using Free Virtualization Software VirtualBox, the guide includes videos. The thing is that, if we in that Ubuntu, uninstall unnecessary softwares and install the required web software and server software packages like Apache2, MySQL, PHPMyAdmin and WordPress and save it – the image actually becomes a Virtual Appliance. So the URL we will provide you, will have such images, you will simply load on Virtualization Software (VMWare Fusion or VirtualBox) and work. It is becoming your localhost.
Our users still has not understood the importance of this article – Virtual Machine From Physical Machine Using Disk2VHD. Apply your common sense.
Using Virtual Appliance on VMware Fusion or VirtualBox to Test : Resources
There are many Free Repositories and Paid Sites which distributes Virtual Appliances. Some are here :
1 | http://virtualboximages.com/ |
1 | http://www.cloudzoom.com/ |
1 | http://www.turnkeylinux.org/ |
And one unofficially from Rackspace :
1 | https://github.com/rackerjoe/oz-image-build |
As you can understand, basically, you can also create a Virtual Appliance and distribute it. If you do with closed source software that becomes ‘illegal’ but for our Free Softwares, they are fully legal. Now you have understood why we wrote “Our users still has not understood the importance of this article” – you can actually use one image on other computer, that is morally right (as you are using your own thing) but illegal in case of Microsoft Windows.
