Well I’m hoping to be getting a notebook for school and other stuff soon (it would be my first computer that i completely own). I would have a Ubuntu 8.10 and Windows Vista/XP (which ever the notebook comes with) dual boot. I’m interested in Computer security and I would like to use Virtualbox to set up a virtual machine in Ubuntu (not vista/xp) with Windows ME. Then download spyware/viruses in it and try to clean it out/watch how it works. The thing is, that I don’t want to infect my actual computer, I know by using Ubuntu as the host machine would be safer. But how safe is it? I’m not going to buy stuff online with it, but I do school work, and show presentations in school with it and I don’t want a not school approved pop-up shall we say, or a crash. What’s your opinion on this? 
This might be a bit off topic but I rather ask people who know their stuff.