you can try using WINE. I haven't yet (my linux install doesn't like my mouse) but it's said to work pretty good.

You could use VMware on Linux to run Vegas in an Windows virtual machine. I do the opposite (run Linux in VMware on Windows) but I also run Windows in VMware on Windows too. Whenever I want to check out a new application, I don't dare install it on my editing computer. I install it in a VMware image so that if it messes things up it doesn't affect my main PC. I guess VMware on Windows and Linux is like Parallels on the Mac. There is even a VMware image of MacOSX floating around the internet which allows you to run OSX in a virtual machine on Windows. ;-)

~jr

>>>Is it possible to get Vegas working on a Linux OS? I would be interested to know,
>>>personally, as well, as Linux handles memory usage a lot better.

Your office would be making a good choice if going with the Novell SuSE Linux Desktop Enterprise system. It's geared for Corporate Office and workplace. Mainly because of it's stability.

If your not experienced with Linux, which takes awhile to learn the logical thing to do is install another harddisk in the computer that has windows & Vegas on it.
To boot to the different harddisk and load it's operating system isn't hard to learn.
Learning how to do that is easier then trying to learn Linux.

For you the most practical method would be to load windows on a separate disk. Use a boot manager to boot whatever OS you want to use (or do it manually in the computers BIOS).
You can also edit your Linux Grub boot manager configuration file (menu.lst) to easily boot the 2nd harddisks operating system to run win2000 or xp.
To boot Vista from a Linux boot loader now requires you to write a copy of the boot sector and some other technical quirks because Vista now uses a binary file instead of the boot.ini file to start Vista.

I'm seriously toying with the idea of Linux, and I did as you suggest - using a spare hard drive. I installed Ubuntu as I'd heard it was very user friendly... and it is. It detected most of my hardware correctly (only the USB modem was not picked up).

However, despite being able to connect to my router, and correctly getting an IP address, Ubuntu refused to connect to the internet, and it ran sooooo slowly - slower than XP. Quite the opposite of what I had expected.

I think I'll have to try with a different distro. But I need something friendly as I know virtually nothing about Linux.

This was just one bad experience, but I refuse to be beaten! I'm sure Vista would be just as bad.

Worley

Hardware support is **still** something of a drag with Linux. My experience with Ubuntu was similar to yours, but I ended up replacing my wireless card in my notebook with one that was better supported. Now, it's working great -- at least as far as internet and office applications go.

Still can't get my laser printer to work right, though and the on-screen fonts are considerably fuzzier than the equivalents on Windows. The trick with Linux is that you usually have to configure everything via the command-line interface. The Ubuntu forums have a lot of good tips -- but you're looking at a fair amount of time to cut 'n' paste into the command line window to get your system recognizing all your hardware appropriately.

The Linux video editors I have tried so far (Kino, Cinelerra), however, look positively AWFUL!

I'm going to keep experimenting with it, however. I'm still deeply skeptical about Vista, and would like to see if an Ubuntu/VMWare/Vegas solution might be a practical alternative to getting sucked down the Microsoft vortex.

Your most productive choice if you don't want MS would be using a MAC Desktop. Nice Dual-Xeon chips in them. The new Operating System for MAC's is basically Linux. It's running Linux BSD using a Mac Graphical Interface. That's why it's stable.
I've been using Linux since the 90's, wouldn't push it on anyone because it's to advanced. Takes along time to learn Linux and the amount of audio/video apps are nil compared to the windows based commercial products.
I don't see anything wrong with windows, as long as you set it up correctly.

>>>The Linux video editors I have tried so far (Kino, Cinelerra), however, look positively AWFUL!
Don't waste your time. Use an Operating System for what it's best designed for. Linux is a workhorse for Ftp,Web Serving, File Serving, corportate environments.
Windows or Mac is best for Multi-Media.

Yeah, the problem with Macs is you're just trading one near-monopoly company for another.

And with Apple, you're basically stuck with one corporate source for all your software AND hardware. Sounds expensive to me.

I'd love to see a solid open-source video editor emerge, even if its just to keep everybody else on their toes.

I just have to believe that Linux is how things have to go in the future, as more institutions get disgusted with Vista and/or worried about that company's total control over their computing destinies.

Just how hard can it be to port from one OS to another? Perhaps the world is waiting for a high-level utility that can spider through the code, taking copious notes as it goes, and then hours later delivers a functionally-identical clone optimized for the Linux kernel.

Yes, I know, it's harder than it sounds, and it's been many years since I cut code. Still, I'm a big-picture kind of guy.

I just wiped out my XP OS this weekend toying around with ubuntu. As for not connecting to the internet, there is a solution for that - I've posted one such work around this morning. Check the ubuntu community forums "absolute beginners" area for a thread roughly entitled "firefox cannot connect to the internet" or something close for a good discussion that should solve that problem.

As for running windows aps, I have downloaded the trial version of Crossover, and, so far, it has managed just about everything ap I have thrown at it. The problems arise for me when an ap needs to interact with peripherals. My problems are probably the result of not having the correct drivers. I am in the process of downloading replacement copies of my Sony software, so I haven't tried those yet. Steinberg Wavelab installed and fired right up, but cannot see my audio card or my CD burner (a problem that can be chronic with WL, but seems insurmountable from within ubuntu).

Ubuntu does not run slower on my machine, FWIW.

I agree that Linux represents the future, but it will take some time and change in attitude before you see an ap like Vegas come from the linux community.

The motive behind Vegas is/always was for profit - and I do not mean that in a disparaging sense. How many programmers could devote the resources and time to develop something as advanced as Vegas simply as a hobby or in a community setting to be shared at no cost? Not too many, I believe.

As soon as my aps are finished downloading, I'm going to try installing them in ubuntu and see what happens for myself.

Del