(This is a repost of an article that previously appeared in 2012)
Last week we introduced the idea of virtualization and how you can run Windows programs on an Apple laptop or desktop. Virtualization goes the other way as well, but who would want to run sleek OS X software on a clunky Windows machine?! Today we turn to the two leading software packages on the market that provide such inter-platform-operability for individuals and small businesses. Our ambition is not to sell either product, but to provide our colleagues and constituents with information that can help save money yet expand options for their staffs.
Indeed, the fundamental advantage of these packages is that you buy a software package for about $80 (or multiple licenses up from that price) and you can have two computer systems (or more if you want to geek out with a couple of flavors of Windows and/or Linux). Let’s take a look.
The first of the two packages is VMWare’s Fusion (currently version 4). It installs on your hard drive and acts as an application that launches like any other Apple app − only it launches the version of Microsoft Windows that you installed with Fusion. Within that app, you have access to Internet Explorer, Excel, etc. VMWare’s package even gives your Mac access to PC only peripherals (like certain cameras and gaming devices).
Here is what one happy customer said on his Google+ account: “Mar 28, 2012 − Public − I love having a high-powered #Macbook , #VMware Fusion and two monitors. Don’t think I’ve ever been so productive!”
Here’s how VMWare presents their software package as it seamless works with Apple’s latest OS, Lion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=And then there’s Parallels Desktop, currently at version 7. Frankly, at the end of the day, both packages run your PC applications pretty darn well. Parallels offers a nice feature during installation, though, which is that it offers you the opportunity to purchase a downloadable version of the latest Windows operating system as you install Parallels. The downloaded version is less expensive than buying a Windows System Disk, and Parallels can thus get itself up-and-running with minimal user intervention.
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