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No matter what you should install Linux as your host. If you download ESXi it has it's own embedded Linux and uses a nice GUI client to create / manage VM's.
Don't use Windows!
Except when he wants to learn Hyper V. Your Microsoft Angst is misplaced here, also ESXi is not Linux.
VMware ESXi is built on RHEL 4. That's Linux. Other ESXi vendors may differ they back end architecture.
Depending on your hardware you might have trouble getting ESXi going.
Since you have Server 2008 as an option I would use that as your host and add the Hyper-V role. From there just start adding VMs, Hyper-V is pretty self explanatory for a few simple VMs to mess around with.