Want to take your computer with you, but don’t want to carry a laptop? Laptops are getting faster and smaller, but they are not losing any weight. The average “portable” size seems to be about five pounds. That’s hefty slung over your shoulder, and a laptop is still bulky. What if you don’t want to haul one along?

You could just bring your files with you on a flash drive, but if you do that, you risk leaving behind footprints and information on whatever computer you use. You also risk picking up whatever viruses the computer may have. That is not an attractive scenario, especially for attorneys with confidential information.

Fortunately, there is a really good alternative. Thanks to the flexibility of Linux and Qemu virtualization software, you can run your very own virtual computer inside any Windows or Linux computer! That’s right, run Linux within Windows! And it’s a piece of cake.

Best of all, you leave no trace on the host computer, and you don’t risk catching anything nasty from it, either.

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I am going to be taking my first vacation since going solo this Friday, and I’m a bit nervous. About my cases, that is. Since I have no support staff, if something comes up (despite my careful preparation), there isn’t anyone who can pick up the slack. So I need to be able to check voicemail and make calls, check e-mail, keep up-to-date with my schedule, and have access to all of my files.

Also, we are going to be in Barcelona for a week, the most pickpocket-friendly city in Europe, so I would rather not bring along expensive toys, if I can avoid it. So the laptop needs to stay at home.

Here is what I came up with:

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