Special Report: If migrating to Linux desktops feels like venturing into the great unknown, then you’re not alone. But the reasons for doing so are compelling — and it’s hardly just the non-existent up-front price tag, either. Three easy steps can get you started, beginning with picking a distribution. I’ll not spoil the ending, but a test drive is step the second. “If you’re willing to take the plunge, getting started with Linux is a matter of a few easy steps. Once you’re done, you should have a fully operational desktop system suitable for learning, experimentation, or even for replacing your current PC for day-to-day computing needs,” writes Neil McAllister. Oh yes, and you can even leave Windows in place. Related: Is desktop Linux for real? From the Test Center: Keeping Windows around is something of a theme this week. This time, we’re talking about a different platform, though: Mac or Windows? Why choose? Now that Apple is atop Intel chips, “the possibility of running Windows on Mac hardware [looms] large,” writes Philip Windley. Sure, Apple’s Boot Camp is one option, but we’re talking Parallels and Fusion here, folks. The first question Windley almost always gets is does it really work? “The answer is an unconditional yes. Both packages do what they promise and are solid performers.” There are, of course, reasons to go with one instead of the other, depending on a company’s individual requirements. “The differences between Parallels and Fusion are significant, but largely at the edge of the experience.” Podcasts: VMware is growing and so is the ecosystem of third-parties filling “niche needs that may plague you at some point,” David Marshall reports. Vkernel is one that aims to help with pesky chargeback problems, while Repton brings what it calls a V-Ployment solution for, you guessed it, easing deployments of VI3. Tune into The Virtualization Report. Software Development