I need to try Linux (Ubuntu) and feel hesitant to install Ubuntu on top of a Win 7 machine to dual boot (might need to use Win7 and Ubuntu at the same time).

Is creating a Virtual PC on Win7, and then installing the latest Ubuntu on that Virtual PC one of the better option?

So I think I can create a Virtual PC with an empty virtual hard disk (vhd), say, for 30GB, and then put in the Ubuntu DVD-R or CD-R to install Ubuntu onto that empty hard disk.

Update: for some reason, the first time Ubuntu 10.04 installation CD-R boots up, it asked for the Language, and "Install Ubuntu" and then the screen has vertical green bars and then the VPC just closed. The 2nd or 3rd time it booted up, there is no asking of Language or "Install Ubuntu" and just shut down the VPC, sometimes with vertical green bars. I even created another new hard drive and same thing happened. And created VPC 02, and same thing happened. Created VPC 03 with a fixed hard drive size of 60GB and same thing happened.