I could not have agreed more. VMWare (or another virtualisation solution of your choice) is perfect for learning new users linux. Me, I'm a die-hard linux user and would not use anything else at home or during the day studying. But every once in a while one of my fellow students want to change from Windows. Normally to get the power of the terminal and use the loads of free software including Subversion and Latex. Often in the past they would dual boot and eventually get frustrated with some problem the could not solve without hours of researching or help from another user. But now, with Ubuntu and VMWare it's a lot easier. Ubuntu just works... and it works out of the box. At least it works just as good as Windows XP in my experience (and I work as an IT-supporter at the university in a 90% Windows enviroment in my spare time). At the same time I usually advice the people making the switch to use VMWare. Only I ask them to install it on linux and run Windows in the virtual machine. Then the can always fire up XP and do what ever it is that the need to do, untill the time when they are ready to complete the plunge in to linux 100%. That way it's a slow transition, and people get the best of both worlds. I would not recommend the whole dual boot thing... usually people get stuck in Windows because they need time to find a replacement for some important program. All the time they are using that program they are not using any linux programs and seeing the benefits of linux. That way it usually end up with them staying in Windows and only ocassionally booting up in linux. With VMWare you can have the benefit of both operating systemt while have time to see the glory of linux. And finally... you will not need Windows anymore.