From: Phillip Gawlowski <pg@...>
Date: 2009-12-29T23:50:25+09:00
Subject: Re: A Ruby appliance: What would you include?

On 29.12.2009 15:39, Robert Klemme wrote:

> Not true.  You can use VMWare Server which is free as well.
> http://www.vmware.com/products/server/

Alas, true. Proper, actual managing of appliances, and not just virtual 
machines (which are almost, but not entirely, completely unlike each 
other) requires VMWare Workstation. The difference between the tools is 
*extreme*. The gap'll have only increased since I used VMware 
Workstation 5.5, too.

Not to mention: I'd like to avoid using or requiring commercial tools 
that are intended to produce vendor lock in (which VMware's tools *are*).

Last, but not least, I'd like to expose the unwary to the world of OSS.

It's the spirit on which this community was built, and on which it 
thrives. It's the key stone of how we all interact each other, and the 
sooner we expose newbies to this, the better.

>> Also, VirtualBox is free, and available for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X.
>> And it supports the open standard from VM description, so VMware should at
>> least be able to import it, and I expect KVM and Xen are able to handel the
>> format as well, if that should ever be necessary.
>
> Good point.

But a minor one. I don't expect a Ruby Appliance to be used in such an 
environment in any kind of production way; the networks configurations 
are just too different from what the average enthusiast has at home. ;)


P.S.: I guess I should look at getting some sort of collaboration site 
going. Anyone got a Google Wave invite to spare? ;)

--
Phillip Gawlowski