okay, I know this isn't developed yet, but I thought I would ask about.
first I love VMware workstation, amazing tool. and most VMware products are quick and easy for the average user.
okay to meat of the topic. What would it take to install VMware natively withOUT a host operating system"
hear me out. I really love virtualization, and the option it gives to run ANY OS, but the drawback would be the HOST OS, I WISH there was a way to install a very simple OS that VMware creates or uses, to launch it's workstation. maybe call it "LiteStation". then with the same use of the workstation, load your OS, or OS's in many cases, being able to with such a low foot print might be able to open some doors for new technology.
now, the simple OS, it need limited capabilities, like driver install (preferably win drivers as they are the most common and most ready, but Linux drivers would be the most understandable), limited programs or possibly no program installs. but it need enough to use the full potential of the machine, so x64 would be required along with VT-x/EPT or AMD-V/RVI + acceleration etc.... with no browsers there won't be a need to install much security, just force it to connect, but not use the network connection except to switch it over to bridge the OS's in VM-LS.
I'm sure this software is not out there yet. but think of the possibilities, it would become a 'virtual' boot-loader... running all OS's in a virtual environment, utilizing the max potential of multi-platform. I could see the diminish of speed as we allocate a % of the native hardware for use by the VM's, but still. No longer would dual booting be a norm, having to restart just to use a different OS, but booting both would increase. sure we have native, but sometimes I don't want to mess with Win/Lin/OS just to get to the one I want. and I feel the native OS limits the use of the virtual machine.
or maybe something like this is already running.... I just haven't found out.
Anyways thanks for the listening... who knows maybe VMware might want to implement something like LiteStation in their software arsenal....
Accipitor