I use Linux+KDE as Desktop for about 10 years now and I am happy. For all applications where Windows is essential I have seperate VMs in Virtualbox. One for each Application such as KEIL51/166 IDE, Cadece/Altium schema/pcb and now one for Visilogic/UniLogic and so on. By doing so, I can select the optimal OS for the application. I use Windows XP/7/8/10. The only drawback is the amount of RAM (have 64GB yet) needed, but thats negligible facing the all the other advantages.
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Oddly, the only thing I've had trouble with is a Unitronics 1040 PLC - can't do direct USB to the panel. Apparently, there is a known issue with the linux driver for the usb-serial chip Unitronics used in this device. It's a linux issue, not a Uni issue (just to make that clear). So I just use my usual serial port adapter instead - no problems there.
I have no problems with USB/serial devices + direct routing USB to VMs with Virtualbox at all. By direct routing raw USB (at kernel level), a Linux Driver is not necessary bc the Driver runs in (virtual) Windows. If this is not possible with VMWare you can try to adapt your UDEV rules for USB on your Linux host. Linux is a little bit stubborn, when non root users try to alter things on USB other than drives and network devices.
Thoughts on Linux
in Tim's Corner
A blog by tmoulder in General
Posted
I use Linux+KDE as Desktop for about 10 years now and I am happy. For all applications where Windows is essential I have seperate VMs in Virtualbox. One for each Application such as KEIL51/166 IDE, Cadece/Altium schema/pcb and now one for Visilogic/UniLogic and so on. By doing so, I can select the optimal OS for the application. I use Windows XP/7/8/10. The only drawback is the amount of RAM (have 64GB yet) needed, but thats negligible facing the all the other advantages.
I have no problems with USB/serial devices + direct routing USB to VMs with Virtualbox at all. By direct routing raw USB (at kernel level), a Linux Driver is not necessary bc the Driver runs in (virtual) Windows. If this is not possible with VMWare you can try to adapt your UDEV rules for USB on your Linux host. Linux is a little bit stubborn, when non root users try to alter things on USB other than drives and network devices.