Windows Solution for Linux Die Hard Summer 2015 Edition

[drmike]

I keep bumping into need for Windows.  Business software annoyance.

WINE while it is fine for some stuff, isn't sufficient for everything.

Die hard Linux folks around here have any current similar scenario in their world or those around them?

Someone have a solution / preferred current solutions for running Windows desktop in Linux virtualized world?  Specifically on the desktop.  Rather run this locally inhouse.

Was contemplating a KVM install via Proxmox and with Windows real install within that...  Just need GUI to work reasonably well in Windows and single monitor, nothing fancy, no sound.

Alternative at this point is picking up a cheap beater laptop with Windows pre-installed/included.

 

[KuJoe]

Why does it have to run locally? Why not pick up a Xen/KVM/VMware VPS with Windows on it and just RDP to it? The only things it's not good for is video playback, gaming, and streaming content. I have 3 Windows jump boxes (2x Windows 7, 1x Server 2008 R2) in different states and they all work as good as my laptop for anything I use it for (some of them are even better because they have a really nice RAID10 setup with a lot more CPU and RAM than my laptop can hold).

 

[Jonathan]

VirtualBox?  Works well for when we need a Windows box for something.  We run Linux desktops exclusively in our office.

 

[drmike]

Thanks for mentioning Virtualbox... Never tried Windows in that, so experimenting we shall go.

RDP solution in DC, contemplating that second, only since it costs me to play and will probably sit idle for 3 weeks racking up cost.