- how often does it need to be updated, or tended to ... is it like a hackintosh where you need to muck around with it every month or so because something "breaks" ?
You'll also want to look up "osx86" and read up on that. TL;DR it's stable in my experience if you don't need to upgrade the OS. If you do want OS upgrades, even minor ones, it's going to be somewhat painful. While I've had VERY good results (my Kalyway OSX was more stable than a real MBP running Snow Leopard), YMMV.
Based on your comments, it wouldn't be an ideal solution for you.
Depends on how you do it. You can download an existing VMWare image (don't use VirtualBox for this - the guest will be slow, not sure why) and run it in minutes. Just be sure NOT to allow it any access to network, unless you are willing to be a part of some botnet. It's probably not legal even if you have the original CD.
Or you can install from your own ISO image... havent't tried it myself. But it's still against Apple EULA which states their software can only be used on their own HW.
While we are at it, how does Apple pull something like this off? Isn't there some anti-monopoly law that should prohibit using such EULAs?
- how much initial wizardry is required
- how often does it need to be updated, or tended to ... is it like a hackintosh where you need to muck around with it every month or so because something "breaks" ?