Doesn't seem like it would be any better than downloading the free 
VMWare player
and aone of the many prebuilt VM images available for it:

VM Player:
http://www.vmware.com/products/player/
VM OS Images:
http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/community.html#OS

Maybe it will get some more press because it is Microsoft including Linux
support, but be assured it is only because they want leverage in the
virtualization market. I am sure that if they could put VMWare out of business
their Linux support wouldn't be too long lasting.

Josh

Quoting dfellman at mn.rr.com:

> If true, I think this will be good news, as it will make it easier for
> Windows users to try a number of different Linix distros without having
> to risk clobbering their boot partitions.
>
> http://www.windowsitpro.com/circulation/win_v1_apr06.cfm
>
> According to a report on CNET News.com, Microsoft today will reveal that
> its upcoming server virtualization software, Virtual Server 2005 R2,
> will be made available to customers for free. The current version costs
> either $99 or $199, depending on the number of supported processors.
> Virtual Server 2005 R2 will allow corporations to run guest operating
> systems in special software-based virtual machines under the host
> server. It will compete with products such as VMWare Server, which will
> also be made available for free.
>
> Also new from the Microsoft camp is a sudden resurgence in Linux
> support. When Microsoft initially developed its Virtual PC and Virtual
> Server products, both of which are based on technology acquired from
> Connectix, the first thing the software giant did was remove any
> official support for running Linux virtual machines. Now, however, after
> a few years of customer complaints, Linux support is back, and Microsoft
> says that it has even developed methods for more easily installing
> popular Linux distributions in Virtual Server-based virtual machines.
> The company will even support customers that wish to run Windows and
> Linux virtual machines side-by-side on the same hardware.
>
> "We've made a long-term commitment to make sure that non-Windows
> operating systems can be run in a supported manner, both on top of
> Virtual Server and our future virtualization products," says Windows
> Server director of product marketing Zane Adam. Additionally, Microsoft
> is working to build virtualization services directly into the next
> Windows Server version, currently codenamed Longhorn Server and due in 2007.
>
> Microsoft's Virtual Server moves are timed to coincide with the start of
> LinuxWorld in Boston this week. Though Microsoft is a staunch opponent
> of Linux, the company has been opening up to various Linux
> interoperability and migration scenarios over the past few years.
>
>
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