Pre-Installed VMs? (IRLS675-Unit 12)

Although the files are large, it’s possible to create a working virtual machine for download and playback in your Virtualization software (although in practice, it’s almost as much work and sometimes difficult to troubleshoot). In your blog, discuss the possibility of downloading a pre-installed VM versus building your own, from a learning and pedagogical perspective. Would preconfigured solutions provide more time to concentrate on the collection? Or, do you think you are losing the opportunity to learn about how a repository is structured and modified by not building it from scratch? Would you have a preference for one or the other with respect to your current computer skills and learning preferences?

I'm personally a fan of building our own systems. While it's sometimes a pain because it takes a bit of time, it's really gotten into my head how the process works (without staring at the instructions every two seconds). I value the depth of knowledge that building our own machines gives us. I would even go so far as to say that giving us pre-installed machines would be detrimental to the purpose of the DigIn program and deprive us of valuable learning experience.