By using "phony" software, PC users can switch between entire operating platforms in a single mouse click, according to V Communications.
The US software utility developer's System Commander 2000 will be available in local and US retail outlets in February.
According to the company's vice president for marketing, Jeff Hyman, the utility enables PC users to effectively "click" between multiple applications on multiple operating systems, including Unix, TurboLinux, and Windows 95, 98 and NT.
Additionally, if a user wants to trial new software or an upgrade of installed software, Hyman said his company's product would provide a "phony" version of the new software without actually installing it.
"Let's say you're a Windows 2000 wannabe and you're not sure if it's really going to work. With this [System Commander 2000], you can do it all on the same hard drive, on the same system, and still keep your Windows 95 or 98 while you work out the problem with [Windows] 2000," he said.
Apart from the initial boot-up of the software, Hyman said the product became "invisible". He said that once a PC user opened an application, the "non-resident" software did not interfere with the application.
He said the previous version of the software, System Commander Deluxe, enabled automated, "non-destructive" partitioning between platforms. System Commander 2000 was completely integrated, with full partitioning and wizard functions, he said.
The product only uses a maximum of 3MB to operate, Hyman said, while similar products take at least 20MB.
Hyman said V Communications had a partnership with Cisco. He said the networking supplier currently sold System Commander Deluxe in a bundle with its own product.