I joyfully reunited with my first Linux distro at the Virtual OS Museum

Virtual OS Museum provides access to historical operating systems that are no longer available. The tool works with VirtualBox and uses a simple workflow: download a zipped package, unzip it, enter the created directory, and run the executable. VirtualBox then opens a Debian Linux environment where a long list of operating systems can be selected and launched. A smaller Lite version is available and can run systems such as NeXTSTEP, demonstrating how easy it is to start older platforms. The purpose is to explore early monitors, CTSS, early Unix versions, and early desktop-metaphor GUI systems without configuring or installing emulators or risking corruption of emulated installations.

"With VirtualBox, this museum lets you run various operating systems that are no longer around. Essentially, what you do is download a zipped file, unzip it, change into the newly created directory, and run the executable. VirtualBox then opens to a Debian Linux instance, where you can select from a very long list of operating systems to run."

"The Virtual OS Museum states its purpose clearly: "Want to see the earliest resident monitors? The ancestor of all modern OSes (CTSS)? The earliest versions of Unix? The first OS with a desktop-metaphor GUI (Xerox Star, Pilot/ViewPoint)? Early versions of mainstream OSes? If you want to explore historical OSes and platforms without having to worry about configuring/installing emulators and OSes or corrupting emulated installations, you've come to the right place.""

"I downloaded the Lite version of Virtual OS Museum (far smaller than the full version), fired it up, and then launched an instance of NeXTSTEP (which was the basis for one of my favorite old-school Linux window managers, AfterStep). I was shocked by how easy it was to run this OS and by the sheer number of operating systems to choose from."

Read at ZDNET