it may be that this is the first time i've needed to install windows 7 in a VM since i *need* to run a particular windows app, so i just want to verify what i understand are going to be the teeth-gnashing annoyances i'm going to run into since i assume at least a few people here have been down this road. first, here's the app i have to run: http://www.articulate.com/ actually, i simply need to set it up for someone else, and finding a linux "alternative" is *not* an option -- it must be this program which, AFAICT, runs only on windows. it's not a problem to purchase windows 7 home or pro or whatever variant i choose from something like staples, but if i do that, i get one shot at installation, at which point i'm stuck with that install. for now, if i purchase the OS off the shelf, i'll try to install it in virtualbox on my 64-bit ubuntu 11.10 system, but if that becomes too much of a pain, i'll happily just install windows directly on a spare laptop. do i have the same restrictions in both cases? what's the typical strategy in cases like this if i first try the VM approach? thanks. rday p.s. if anyone has specifically used that app, i'd be interested in chatting further offline. -- ======================================================================== Robert P. J. Day Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA http://crashcourse.ca Twitter: http://twitter.com/rpjday LinkedIn: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/rpjday ========================================================================