These days many operating systems are releasing new versions. The most popular is Windows 7, but also some Linux distros are almost ready to go. While Google is working hard in Android and his Google OS, and nokia will surprise us with Maemo for mobile devices.

Looking at so impressive variety I wonder, why choose? One way to try all of them and even use them with your favourite applications is virtualization.

This technique is getting popular and not only in a test environment but also in a production on. Running lot of virtualized machines on powerful hardware is getting more and more used in companies for their servers.

Agood choice of hardware virtualization is VirtualBox (virtualization can be performed at several levels). Although not so known as VMware or VirtualPC, it is so reliable as these. And the most important thing is that it is open source, at least the OSE version. Firstly it was developed by Innotek, then Sun bought this and later Oracle bought Sun.

Configure your "fake" computers or even your own network. Play with it, it is like a game.

It seems as if the software was getting more and more complex. This means we need more and more powerful hardware. This has been a trend for many years till now, and mainly promoted by Microsoft. Windows Vista, his last operating system is the heaviest ever seen. So annoying that most of the brand new computers fail his performance test.

But people is getting fed up and now many choose light computers such as netbooks. For this hardware Vista is not suitable, that's one of the reasons why Microsoft has been working hard to release his new and thin operating system, Windows 7.

In Linux words, some distros like Ubuntu, Suse or Fedora have followed the Microsoft steps providing a huge set of features which slows down the system. Probably in an attempt to attract users to the Linux desktop.

Fortunately Linux world is not only popular distros and we have a wide range of possibilities. One of them is Arch Linux. A modern, constantly updated and simple distribution. Arch follows the KISS principle offering a reduced set of tools to start to build your customized system.

This is a list of my preferred light applications for Arch:

• Openbox as window manager.
• Conky to monitor the system.
• Tint2 as a task panel.
• iDesk to define shortcuts to most used apps.
• Stalonetray as system tray.
• Brasero as CD/DVD burner.
• Of course Firefox as web browser.
• Thunderbird for mail.
• Gimp for image manipulation.
• Inkscape for vector graphics.
• Geany as advanced text editor.
• PCmanFM for file management.
• LxTerminal as terminal emulator.
• Mplayer/SMplayer for media.
• Transmission to download torrents.
• Virtualbox for virtualization.
• Gparted to manage partitions.
• Openoffice for office stuff.
• ePDFView, GPicViewer as file viewers.
• Pidgin for instant messaging.
• Asunder to rip CDs.

All these are components to have a minimalist destop, fast and reliable. Most of them are enough for a standard user.