Now you can have a computer that everybody can hate!!!

Bot

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Windows on a Mac: Virtually Perfect
New "virtualization" software lets Outlook and other apps work like Apple OS X programs

By Stephen H. Wildstrom

Excellent hardware and even better software are strong reasons for people to choose a Mac as their next computer. Many, no doubt, would also like to leave the world of Microsoft (MSFT) Windows behind. If you're not quite ready to take that step, or work realities make it impossible, you actually can have your cake and eat it too.

For some time now, Macs have had the ability to run the many applications written for Windows, thanks to Apple (AAPL) software called Boot Camp. But you have to choose between Windows or the Mac OS X at startup and you end up with two separate systems sharing one physical computer. I suspect most Boot Camp users are running intense Windows-only games and want the maximum performance on Apple hardware.

A technology with the user-unfriendly name of virtualization provides a much better answer. New versions of two very good products, Parallels Desktop for Macintosh 4.0 and VMware Fusion 2.0 (both $80), let you run Windows programs on a Mac so that they look almost exactly like OS X programs and behave that way, too.

To use Parallels and Fusion, which require less technical proficiency than earlier versions, you need a fairly recent Mac and a copy of Windows. Once you have installed the software, you follow the on-screen instructions to set up a Windows "virtual machine." Then you install the Windows programs you need, and you're good to go.

I think the application that is the biggest deal for business Mac users is Microsoft Outlook. The Mac alternative, Microsoft Entourage, is a less-than-satisfactory substitute for Outlook's mail, contact, and calendar functions. Entourage lacks Outlook's small business contact manager. Critical collaboration features of the Microsoft Exchange corporate mail system are also missing.

Fusion and Parallels both offer three different ways to run Windows. You can turn your entire Mac display into a Windows desktop. You can run the Windows desktop in a separate pane. And, in perhaps the best approach, you can run each Windows program so it looks like a regular Mac application.

Fusion and Parallels also let you share files between OS X and Windows. And they can be set up so the contents of key folders, such as Documents and Pictures, are duplicated in both systems. This makes it easy to save an attachment in Outlook and use it in a Mac application, or vice versa. The result? Workplaces that have been hostile to Macs may relent. Without much effort, a company can clone its standard Windows setup, including all security policies, and install it as a virtual machine on a Mac that then lets employees access the corporate network.

The implications of virtual machines may go beyond the traditional Mac-vs.-Windows competition. VMware and Parallels make versions that let you install Windows virtual machines on any Windows PC. It sounds illogical but makes some interesting things possible. You can run two completely separate systems on the same hardware—one for secure corporate use, the other loaded with personal programs the company doesn't want to support. Computers of the not-too-distant future may include virtual machines with dedicated jobs, such as a secure setup used only for online finance and another for Web browsing.

Complicated software and the limitations of earlier microprocessors restricted the use of virtualization. Now, with simpler software and much more powerful computers, the age of virtual machines has arrived.

Wildstrom is Technology & You columnist for BusinessWeek. You can contact him at techandyou@businessweek.com .

Hey, thanks. This is encouraging. I'd like to buy a Mac to use for work, but all of my work software is Windows only. This might help me finally make that leap.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Funny, I just had a help desk ticket for a slow computer. It was a MAC running windows. Boot camp isn't too bad. Parallels is hopeless for us.

I primarily use a sales tracking program called Act! for work. I don't think it's that demanding, processor-wise. I would think the biggest problems would come with graphics software.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

The way I read the article, you better have an upper-end machine.

I just bought a Dell for work. dual quad processors, 8 gig ram, Nvidia Quadro 4600, Raid 4 + other doodads = about $3,500. I bought the Dell because of compatibility with GIS & image processing software. It never occurred to me to look into a comparably configured Apple and then run Winders on it.

Anybody?

B

Yes. You do need a high end Mac to run this sort of thing effectively as it's extremely resrouce intensive. Memory and processor loads. However it can be very useful. I was seriously looking at a Mac for this purpose, as well as greater security, untill the economy tanked. Now I guess I'll have to try and make do.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

How high end? A Mac Pro? Would something like the I Mac 24 be enough?

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Powerpig will know.....

__________________
"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

I thought it was the Shadow that knows . . . .

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Parallels works pretty well mostly. There are a few I/O related problems, not all solvable, but that’s about it. Performance is entirely acceptable on anything but maybe the mini mac

I've talked with some about VMware. It has some promise. It's hyped heavily on server platforms but is obscenely expensive (imo)

VM Ware is awesome. I run Vista in Fusion, and there is little performance loss when running VMWare to run my windows programs. The only problem with running fusion is that my battery doesn't last the full 3.5 hours. It only lasts 2.5 hours.

This is on my primary computer, a Black MacBook. Its got 2 gigs of ram, Core 2 Duo, and 250 gb drive.


I need it because in my major, Business w/ MIS, I need to use access, outlook, visual studio, and a few other programs. I have been running VM Ware for about a year, and its been pretty good so far.



I also need windows for the administration of my servers.



Bot, do you run AutoCad?


Dee, I have used Act! A MacBook would be more than powerful enough to run VMWARE with Act!.


I have been using a Mac for like 3 years now. If you got questions, fire away.

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

ArcMap ( http://www.esri.com/ ) & erdas ( http://www.erdas.com/ ).

I got a new autoloading shotgun that shoots 2 3/4" up to 3 1/2" without jamming because you can dial the gas ports from light to heavy with a dime, for less than $500. Lets see the geeks pull that off

Engineers build stuff like that, not geeks...

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

Does your workstation act as a server?

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.