Setting up preconfigured virtual machines in a flash

Up until now we've been working with the UbuntuVB and UbuntuVBClone virtual machines we created from scratch in previous chapters. This is the most common way of working with VirtualBox, and it's like having several full-fledged PCs to work with, only they're all inside your host!

The only drawback is that, as with any other regular PC, you need to install an operating system and then the software applications you want to work with, and that can take a lot of time and effort. But fortunately for us, there are several communities around the world that work very hard to offer virtual appliances to people who need them.

And what is a virtual appliance, you may ask? Well, to keep it simple, let's just say that a virtual appliance is a virtual machine that you can download, configure, and use without having to install the operating system first and then the software applications you need to run.

For example, imagine that you need a virtual machine...