For serial number register here: http://register.vmware.com/content/registration.html

Better howtos:

• http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-install-vmware-server-in-ubuntu-710-gutsy-gibbon.html
• http://www.howtoforge.com/ubuntu_vmware_server

prerequisities

apt-get install build-essential linux-headers-`uname -r` xinetd

For debian stable you need also:

apt-get install psmisc libxtst6 libxrender1 libxi6 libdb3

get & install

cd /tmp
wget http://download3.vmware.com/software/vmserver/VMware-server-1.0.6-91891.tar.gz
tar -vxzf VMware-server-1.0.6-91891.tar.gz
cd vmware-server-distrib/
./vmware-install.pl

1. ~10x Press Enter
2. yes
3. still pressing Enter

For serial number register here: http://register.vmware.com/content/registration.html

cd /tmp
wget http://download3.vmware.com/software/vmserver/VMware-mui-1.0.6-91891.tar.gz
tar -xzf VMware-mui-1.0.6-91891.tar.gz 
cd vmware-mui-distrib/
./vmware-install.pl 

Press

Enter
q
yes

Read and press Enter

/etc/init.d/xinetd restart

You can control it with:

/etc/init.d/vmware

Maybe also this (but probably not):

/etc/init.d/httpd.vmware start

unzip VMware-server-linux-client-1.0.6-91891.zip
tar -xzvf VMware-server-console-1.0.6-91891.tar.gz
cd vmware-server-console-distrib/
./vmware-install.pl

Run it:

vmware-server-console