I decided to give Virtual box a go to see if i could get the kids stuff to run on my ubuntu machine.

Now, i do feel it is rather pointless to have to still own a valid version of xp, but maybe one day more software developers will release Linux versions.
Until then this is a good alternative to dual booting.. if anything it is better as you can used both OS's at the same time.

I bought a magazine with good instructions, and helpful screengrabs in, I didn't buy it for this purpose, but it was a bonus reason why i should get this particular one. ANYWAY.. I followed the instructions easily, and tweaked away to set up the virtual drive as i wanted, takes a bit of guess work, but a couple of shots and it is right.

Installing XP gave me a panic as i was terrified it would somehow mess up my Ubuntu, but all is well.

What i find really bizarre is running windows in a window... it has everything exactly as it is supposed to be, and i updated it with Mickeysoft no problem too.

I've disconnected the virtual PC from the web, so it can't go online, and I'll only put trusted stuff on it, so i won't have to worry too much about adware and stuff (something i don't even think about anymore with Linux).

I can now run my sons games no problem (with my virtual windows drive) and i can keep using ubuntu at the same time.... P.C runs as fast as normal, and besides the noise of the drive spinning i wouldn't even know anything was going on.

I am typing this in firefox on Ubuntu while my windows xp is installed age of empires for me to test to see if it works

Here is a screen grab, shout if you want more

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Lisa - would this work for me and the windows only stuff I want to try and install

Two that I want to get going are Adobe Photoshop and The Sims 2 

Only if ya got time Lisa

Its defo photoshop thats top of the list to find if I can run (as if I can get it run under Ubuntu windows can go) and The Sims 2 is more power hungry than anything but could do without it if I went Ubuntu alone I guess but would rather try get it working

Just I got no clue how to do it Lisa so any help would be appreciated then I can go out and try and do it myself too

Oh Lisa - u sure
Be good if you could

But dont worry about it being today - this week would do me

what version of photoshop do you use brains?

will see if i have that version, i definately have later. I think we can safely assume if new versions work then that shoudl..

give me 5 minutes to test

I trying to learn GIMP today and seem to have it sussed to scale (resize) images which is really all I used Photoshop for bar tweaking filters etc etc