Dual booting Linux w/Emc2 and Windows 7?

I'm putting together a new system for myself. It has an AMD Phenom II X3 processor, a terabyte main disk, and 2 gig of main memory. I have installed Windows 7 on it which is running pretty nicely. I want to run Linux on the same machine and I'm trying to decide whether I should set it up for dual booting or whether I should should install VirtualBox and run it in a VirtualBox window. I'm not going to be actually driving a CNC machine with this computer. I have a separate shop computer for that. But I may be running Emc2 simulations on this one. Does anyone have any advice for me as to which approach would be better?

BTW, I will be running my shop computer in just the opposite manner. It will be running Ubuntu 8.04 with Emc2 to drive my CNC router. Then, when I need to, I will open a VirtualBox window and run Windows XP in it. I will need to do this particularly when I want to communicate with my home LAN. My networking software, called Network Magic, is great but it only runs on Windows PCs.

Anyway, any comments or suggestions you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Mark