I use Parallels for hosting Windows inside OS X but VirtualBox is a free open source alternative that does a pretty decent job too.
With VirtualBox, you can install any version of Windows (as long as you have the boot disk), Linux, Solaris and just about any other operating system you can think of. The first thing you notice about VirtualBox is that it's extremely easy to setup and use. In fact, I'd equate the setup process to that of Parallels. VirtualBox holds your hand through the whole process so you never feel out of your depth.
Integration with your native environment is extremely impressive. VirtualBox allows for declaring certain host directories as 'shared folders', which can then be accessed from within the operating system you're running in VirtualBox.
In addition, connecting USB devices is a breeze - VirtualBox automatically detects new devices and asks you if you wish to use them. Unfortunately, there is no drag-and-drop function from your native desktop into VirtualBox but considering it's free, you really can't complain.
If you don't want to pay for Parallels and require your virtual OS for generally minor usage, VirtualBox is more than enough.
alombarte
I currently used VirtualBox on my Mac that holds a simple Debian machine with 256MB RAM where runs all my webservers, services and databases.
Via the "Shared Folders" you can... More
You're not allowed to share serial numbers, cracks, etc. or link to pages that contain them. If you do, your user account will be deleted, your IP address logged and legal action will be taken.
Growl alerts for when you connect hardware to your Mac
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