For those of you who haven't already played with it, Oracle VM VirtualBox is an awfully cool desktop virtualization tool. Even better, it's free.

We OTN-ers like it even more than you will though because it allows us to freeze-dry entire software stacks into VM images. Developers can simply download a few files, assemble them with a script we provide, and then import and run the resulting pre-built VM in VirtualBox. Voila, instant (insert name here) stack.

These VMs are particularly handy in support of in-person workshops, but there's no reason we can't make them available for everyone. Which we have done, in Java, database, and SOA/BPM flavors. (All "ingredients" are listed at the referenced link, and they are extensive.)

Now that we have the kinks worked out, other flavors are sure to become available in 2011.

Now go get 'em!