• Assassassin@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      17 hours ago

      A virtual machine. Essentially a software emulation of a computer. It lets you run an entirely separate operating system within the one you’re primarily using.

    • Kratzkopf@discuss.tchncs.de
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      23 hours ago

      Virtual machine. It is basically a program you can open that functions like a separate computer. The program dedicates some hardware resources and you install an OS of your choice. This has miltiple advantages: for the described purpose in the example above, the VM provides you with a fresh machinewhere you have not done any customization that would make you identifible. Other uses include e.g. using Windows software inside a Linux installation or experimenting with viruses (which would usually attack the sandboxed VM and not your actual OS).