NO
 
We are computer-savvy, if not professionals.
 
This was intended to be for people who can barely spell computer.  that have done a few things only on the computer, and not understood what they were doing.
 
people who feel, "Windows works", why should I change?
 
If the person had a reason to be committed to change, say, MS announced that in two years, the license charge for Windows would be $75 per month, and they could not afford that, so they HAVE to convert off, sure, but, barring that, why change?
 
For them, the ideal situation would be to give them a second computer, sitting next to their current one, with Linux on it.  Anything they could do, they could try on Linux; if they have any problem, just continue on Windows until somebody helps them.  Over time, hopefully, they would use the Linux computer more and more, and the Windows one less and less.  eventually shutting off the windows and consigning it to be recycled.  without ever having to do a "conversion".
 
But that takes money and desktop space.
 
It would be much easier if they could virtualize and have both systems active, and hotkey from one to the other.  
 
work on, say a greeting card program on Windows.  have a problem, hotkey to Linux to send an email with a question, work on something else, get an answer, and hotkey back to work on the greeting card.  
 
Dual booting wastes too much time.  This is for people who do not have a LOT of incentive to convert to Linux, if it is too much hassle, they will just stay on Windows.

Carey

On 09/18/2025 4:41 PM CDT Samuel Kaharabata <skaharabata@gmail.com> wrote:
 
 
Hi Carey
 
I am likely misunderstanding your question and the use case, but is the goal to be able to run Linux apps within a Windows OS and exchange files between the two etc. so that one can compare the performance of the linux app and the equivalent windows app?
 
Doesnt Win come with WSL where you can basically install any linux OS like Mint that is not in the MS Store?
And from Mint then install any linux app like LibreOffice or MS Word via Wine?
There are other options to run Win-centric apps in linux like Winboat.
 
 
I think the WSL allows you to access Win/Linux files seamlessly.
 
cheers
Sam

On Wed, Sep 17, 2025 at 6:27 PM CAREY SCHUG via Talk <talk@lists.gtalug.org> wrote:
OK, if windows can't be virtualized....I guess for a distro to bring new users to linux, it would have to be a linux distro with an automatic install procedure to install linux virtual on windows.  Does that require more than the "home" windows license?  not sure, but I think any computer powerful enough to really do virtualization comes with that license.

process:

resize the windows partition, and install linux in its own paritition(s).  with dual boot so it can be boot live.

And with an OPTIONAL automatic procedure to LATER remove windows and reclaim that space for linux, whether just making the former windows partion a second data partition or actually reformatting and raiding them into one.  possibly just make /home map to the users directory in the windows partition?  you lose unix style ownership/permissions that way, but this is not for the sophisticated users, so maybe ok.

Carey

> On 09/17/2025 4:35 PM CDT D. Hugh Redelmeier via Talk <talk@lists.gtalug.org> wrote:
>
> 
> When I last looked at this (Windows Vista?), the consumer Windows license
> would not allow virtualization.  Maybe it has changed since.
>
> Windows has historically disallowed things that could enable copies of
> Windows to be viable.  Silly example: you could not install Windows onto a
> USB device.
>
> Windows (used to?) discover illicit copies whenever a sufficient amount of
> hardware change had happened.
>
> All these might be artificial but intentional barriers to your project.
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