I would like to try installing Ubuntu in a virtual environment on my PC here - previous attempts to dual boot with it have failed, and I thought this might allow me to use it on a PC that I'm working on all the time, that has a reasonably high spec and will give me a chance to see what I can do with a linux OS without it affecting the rest of my system. While I have it on this old laptop (and everyone is no doubt bored rigid with the networking problems ), tbh I can't really see me using that machine now that I have a newer, much higher spec dual core toshiba laptop.

I was recommended VM Ware, but it looks so complicated, even deciding what to download! After registering, I received this email:

Attached to this email are two license files that you will need during the installation of VMware Lab Manager and VMware ESX Server 3.0.1. Please follow the instructions for each product below.

VMware Lab Manager 2.4 Beta
===========================
Please copy the LabManager.lic file to the server where you will be installing the VMware Lab Manager software. During the installation process, you will be asked to point to the Lab Manager license file.

VMware ESX Server 3.01
======================
You can skip this step if you already have ESX 3.0.1 servers up and running that you will be using with VMware Lab Manager. You should use this license file only if you need to set up new ESX 3.0.1 servers for the duration of the beta program. The ESX 3.0.l license file included in this email is host-based and should not be used with a license server. After installing ESX 3.0.1, point the Virtual Infrastructure client on each ESX 3.0.1 machine to this license file.
My head is spinning after all that - does there not exist somewhere, a fairly easy was of setting up a virtual environment to install an OS on like Ubuntu where I can operate within a sandboxed environment? If I download VM Ware, what exactly do I download and install?