Here is an article that is not about any of the “normal” topics of this newsletter: genealogy, history, current affairs, DNA, and related topics. In fact, I suspect most readers of this newsletter do not even know why they should use Workstation Pro or Fusion Pro . However, for those in the know, this is monumental news about some very powerful software and I would like to spread the news:
The cloud and virtualization biz, now a Broadcom subsidiary, has announced that its Pro apps will be available under two license models: a “Free Personal Use” or a “Paid Commercial Use” subscription for organizations.
After the merger, VMware gave users one more small but important gift: the Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro PC hypervisors are now free for personal use. The cloud and virtualization company, which is now a Broadcom subsidiary, said that its Pro apps will be offered with two types of licenses: “Free Personal Use” and “Paid Commercial Use” for businesses. You can get Workstation Pro for PCs that run Windows or Linux, and you can get Fusion Pro for Macs that have either Intel CPUs or Apple’s own processors. With these two items, users can make a virtual machine on their own computer so that they can run a different operating system or software in a safe environment.
VMware says that users will be able to choose for themselves if they need a paid service for their needs. The company says there is no difference in how the two versions work. The only difference in how they look is that the free version shows the message “This product is licensed for personal use only.” “This means that everyday users who want a virtual lab on their Mac, Windows, or Linux computer can do so for free simply by registering and downloading the bits from the new download portal located at support.broadcom.com,” says VMware. Customers who want to buy a paid business subscription must do so through a Broadcom Advantage partner.
The change also makes VMware’s Workstation Player and Fusion Player products useless since the Pro products can now do the same thing. You won’t be able to buy those anymore. Businesses that already have Fusion Player 13 or Workstation Player 17 licenses can still use them, and they will still be supported until their end of life (EOL) or end of general support (EoGS) dates.