ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Linux Virtual Server

A Linux virtual server is like having a pretend computer inside your real computer. Imagine you have a toy computer and a big box. Inside the box, you can put your toy computer and make it work just like a real one.

In the same way, a Linux virtual server lets you create a pretend computer inside your real computer. This pretend computer can run a different operating system called Linux. It's like having two computers in one!

But why would you want a pretend computer? Well, it can be very useful. You can use the pretend computer to do all kinds of things. For example, you can use it to run different software that you might not want to install on your real computer.

You can also use the pretend computer to test things out. Let's say you want to install a new program, but you're not sure if it will work well. Instead of installing it on your real computer and risking breaking something, you can try it out on the pretend computer. If something goes wrong, you can simply delete the pretend computer and start over.

Another great thing about a Linux virtual server is that you can have multiple pretend computers running at the same time. Each pretend computer is completely separate from the others, so you can use them for different purposes. It's like having a whole bunch of toys to play with!

To make a Linux virtual server, you need special software called a virtualization program. This program manages the pretend computers and makes sure they don't interfere with your real computer. One popular virtualization program is called VirtualBox.

Once you have the virtualization program installed, you can create a pretend computer by setting up some virtual hardware. You can give it a pretend hard drive, a pretend network connection, and even pretend video and audio devices.

Then, you need to install the Linux operating system on your pretend computer, just like you would install it on a real computer. Once that is done, you can use the pretend computer just like a real one. You can browse the internet, send emails, or even play games.

But remember, the pretend computer only exists inside your real computer. If you turn off your real computer, the pretend computer will disappear. But don't worry, because you can turn it back on and it will be just like you left it.

So, in summary, a Linux virtual server is like having a pretend computer inside your real computer. It lets you do all kinds of things without affecting your real computer. It's a fun and useful way to explore different software and test things out.