I installed Virtualbox in my Gentoo Linux system.
The install is not simple but the result is really amazing.
I can now have both Windows 7 and Linux running at the same time
and switch from one to the other by just keying in Ctrl + Tab.
(I am using KDE as a Linux desktop).
Through a folder made in Linux I can transfer data from one to the other.
This folder can be named anything as long as it's designated "share" in VB.
It's then assigned a drive letter in Windows.
Wine can't hold a candle to VB.
For any Linux user interested:
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/UserManual.html
Gerard.

There are several applications like this that you should not really compare.

VirtualBox is an emulator, I use it for various purposes (running applications within PCLinuxOS KDE). Old and new versions of M$ operating systems (not so good for Win 3) and for trying out new linuxes. Of course with VB you have to install the OS.

but

Nothing wrong with WINE ( Wine Is No Emulator ) it allows some Win applications to run. Not all. Big advantage is they are in my PCLOS menu system.

Flame Painter for a graphics example.

Then there is DOSbox, could not exist without my daily game of Scrabble.

Comparisons of size.
The VB installation here ( /opt/virtualbox ) runs to 188 MB plus any virtual machines,
WinXP about 5 GB to Win7-64bit about 15 GB for a basic installation.

WINE - a bit smaller than VB, /usr/lib/wine + /usr/share/wine runs to a bit over 100 MB.
Then, I am ashamed to admit my ~/.wine is running to 800MB, biggest culprits PS7 and quicktime.

DOSbox - next to nothing.

Just use them and be grateful that they are available.

Hello gerard82.
Currently the only advantage have Wine over a Windows virtual machine is that you will not use (or almost) Microsoft crap things. I do not know about games, but I think Wine (or similar) is better for gaming because it has direct access to graphic hardware and native Linux drivers.
If you have a small amount of RAM (known issues Linux have when the swap begins to be required excessively) and/or an older single core or with few cores processor, virtual machine on GNU/Linux (Windows too) can be a bad experience.
But in modern hardware, the virtual machine has many advantages over Wine. Obviously, you will have better compatibility in most native Windows programs on a virtual machine. And also you can share USB, Serial and Parallel ports (parallel port is not very user friendly to set up on VB). So that gives the ability to install external hardware with native Windows drivers in the virtual machine.

To rich2005 and YAFU,
I own a 2 yrs old box with 4 core AMD cpu and 8 GB of RAM.
3 HD's of 500 GB each,so plenty of space and power.

First reason to install this was webtv.
We have a subscription with an IP that consists of internet,phone and TV.
When I log in their webtv I get the message "O no Linux".
Because of DRM you can't watch it in Linux!
I tried Internet Explorer in Wine to fool the IP but the highest version available was 7 while they wanted 9 or higher.

Another reason is printing.
I've ordered an Epson printer to replace my old one.
I use "gutenprint" in Gimp to print photo's.
The new printer comes with drivers for Windows and Apple but not Linux.
I'd like to know how gutenprint compares to the Epson provided drivers.

I never play games.

What I admire in VB is how well it's conceived and runs.
Gerard.

Yeah. Internet TV could well be a problem. Similar here in The UK with BBC iPlayer except that in linux I can download BBC programs using linux (get-iplayer) which unlike windoze do not have DRM. One up for linux

A new printer, hope it is working well. Do give up too easily with Gutenprint. Epson along with HP are one of the better providers of linux printer drivers. Might not be on the provided CD but sooner or later will turn up in CUPS.

I recently got a Brother J825 when my old HP960C died. This is not listed as supported by Gutenprint or even CUPS. Downloaded their drivers. As long as you can get to a ppd you can set up Gutenprint as a postscript printer.

example (big image scaled down a bit ) http://i.imgur.com/OMNOmXj.jpg

best of luck with you new Epson.

Are 2 too different applications , and are not competing but completing each other

I had wine in all my linux , i am experimenting from few time virtual machines are both fine and their possibility of use seldom overlap .
if i use a app with wine it has access to all the free RAM , to the point that often there is not perceptible difference in speed respect to the same program used in the native OS

If i use the same app with a VM , i may assign to the VM only a fraction of the installed Ram , of this fraction part is needed to the VM itself and only what left remain available for the program to run.

That may be fine ,even having only 8GB RAM globally, to run 32bit apps that anyway cannot use much RAM ,would be less fine for 64bit programs to be used for intensive task