Virtual Machine

From init Q

In computer science, a virtual machine (VM) is a software implementation of a machine (computer) that executes programs like a real machine.

Definition

A virtual machine was originally defined by Popek and Goldberg as an efficient, isolated duplicate of a real machine. Current use includes virtual machines which have no direct correspondence to any real hardware.

Example: A program written in Java would receive services from the Java Runtime Environment software by issuing commands from which the expected result is returned by the Java software. By providing these services to the program, the Java software is acting as a "virtual machine," taking the place of the operating system or hardware for which the program would ordinarily have had to have been specifically written.

Software

VMware is one of the well known companies that makes a very nice virtual machine. Virtual Box also makes a nice virtual machine and sun had their eye on the company. Sun recently bought Virtual Box.