VirtualBox 7.1 Released with Qt 6 GUI, Wayland Support for Clipboard Sharing - 9to5Linux
VirtualBox 7.1 open-source virtualization software is now available for download with Qt 6 GUI and Wayland support for clipboard sharing.
VBox could be nice, but Oracle is on a licensing hunt for people who install the extension pack on potentially work-related systems. Technically it is free for personal use, but is like explicitly inviting the vampire into your home - nothing might happen, but you wouldn’t know until the moment you have 2 tiny holes in your neck.
They don't even care if you don't get the extension pack, we've been pestered by those leeches even for the open source licensed for all use main package only
Who cares. Why use sub par Type 2 virtualization with DKMS modules when you can use built+in world class, industry standard, Type 1 hypervisor with Qemu+KVM and Virt-Manager? Already has clipboard sharing with qemu-guest-agent.
I totally agree with you on the Linux side. However, I first got into Linux by using it in Virtualbox on Windows. In the Windows world, as far as I know, it’s the easiest-to-use free-as-in-beer1 hypervisor, so long as UEFI support has improved since I last used it.
1: I say this because of the non-libre extension pack.
I mean yeah, Qemu/KVM is Linux software. We're talking about Linux here. Ain't ever heard of that other thing you speak about. Think I I stalled it once in a VM to run some firmware update on some obscure device.
vbox is easy. qemu is kinda frustrating to use sometimes, although virt-manager makes it a little easier
Virtualizing Windows 10 for various binbows-only work stuff
Virtualizing Windows XP to run Office from before it started sucking
I teach a class where I use VirtualBox. Students commonly use Windows or Mac. I use Linux.
It is very handily to use VirtualBox where, if I demo something, the same steps will work on the student machine. It is also nice for documentation if you want to show a screenshot.
I have never used the “extension pack” for this so it would be fine. Educational use seems to be permitted regardless.
Sir or Madame, this is a Wendy's. You're in the Linux com here.
Because at least for me getting a shared folder to work was a total pain in the ass. Virtualbox just worked in that regard.
Again, just install qemu-guest-agent. You can even drag and drop files.
Because they are for different use cases. I use QEMU+KVM on desktop for games and 3D CAD software, because of its undeniable performance advantage. But on work laptop, I use VirtualBox to test my software on different platforms. On VirtualBox it's relatively easy to initialize a VM, configure network, file sharing and device passthrough, and its snapshot feature allows me recreate the same environment for troubleshooting
I think VBox is more user friendly? Virt-manager would need a GTK4 (?) update and a few UX improvements.
Virtual manager requires a lot less clicks. It also uses libvirt so you can run VMs in the background and on startup.
If you want a better UI look into other clients.
Because for some reason, no matter what I try, Windows 10 desktop is laggy as hell on Qemu, and smooth out of the box on VirtualBox.
Doesn't VirtualBox use KVM if it's available?
I likeVBoxManage. Any crazy thing I've ever imagined doing with a VM it's already supported.
So, to answer your question - I use VirtualBox because it does everything I want and I've never had a reason to look elsewhere.
No, VBox does not use KVM unless you use some off brand backend, which is an extra layer of complexity and software you must install and manage.
Absolutely everything you might want to do with VBoxManager is going to be available via virsh and the multiple libviet utilities.
I've never had a reason to look elsewhere.
Not using Type 2 hypervisor would be a good one. Not being beholden to Oracle's shitry licensing schemes is certainly another.
What ever you happens, do not use this for commercial purposes. Virtual box is free and libre but the guest addons are not. They will find and bill you for every single person in your company. Not per active user but per employee. This has cost companies millions
Under Linux you can just use KVM. Gnome boxes or virtual manager should work fine.
I just looked all this over and, just to clarify, both VirtualBox itself and the Guest Additions are free and released under GPL3.
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Licensing_FAQ
What is not free is the separately downloadable “VirtualBox Extension Pack”.
As long as you stay away from the “Extension Pack”, you are ok.
And they DO NOT CARE if you don't actually use or install the extensions (unless something has changed, the guest add-ons are part of the free open source part, it's the extensions for things like USB 2 support that aren't free for commercial)
You can use it freely, by license, but they'll come after you anyway
I'm still pissed that they bought Sun, so many great products now controlled by those assholes... Virtual box, MySQL, Solaris, Java...
The only license that VirtualBox and the Guest Additions are even released under is GPL3. I do not even see a dual license.
What remedy are they proposing when they come after you? I am not sure I would even take their call or respond to their letter. If I did, I would just send them the GPL text, announce that we are complying, and tell them to pound sand.
I suppose it might be fun to tell them that I got it via IBM or Red Hat or something and to take it up with them. But I probably would not actually be dishonest about. As above, if I got a letter asking me to pay for their GPL software, I would just mutter “idiots” and throw it away. If they want to persist, it would only cost them money and I would continue to respond the same way.
I've just seen quite a few posts about companies getting audited by Oracle over Virtual box and Java
Guest add-ons are free AFAIK. VirtualBox Extension Pack is not.
Use software owned by Oracle? Fuck that, I would rather get mauled by a bear.
Neat. As I am in the process of fully migrating to wayland, it is good. I only work as a teacher, so I don't really concern about licensing, lol.
Maybe it can be installed in Debian 12 now without much trouble...