"Parallels' annual update to its eponymous virtual machine software is out today, looking a bit smarter, and promising to be even more seamless than before. A new Coherence mode sees Windows applications skinned with a Mac-like scheme. Dialogues look like Windows dialogues, and there's easier keyboard mapping - so your Windows app can use Apple-C/X/V to cut and paste, rather than Ctrl-C/X/V."
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Member since:
2005-07-06
I had a pretty bad experience with Parallels 4. Though it worked semi-OK (just slightly stuttery) running Tales of Monkey Island, it was ridiculously slow when performing the most trivial of tasks, e.g. opening the Start menu, opening Explorer... Luckily I didn't pay much for it, as it was part of a MacUpdate bundle--and more luckily, I already had a copy of VMWare Fusion to fall back to.
Ultimately Parallels packed a few slick features, but in comparison to VMWare, it simply lacked polish. That combined with the performance issus--which weren't confined to me, see here:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/11/24/parallels_four_users_angry/
--and I have no choice but to firmly recommend VMWare over Parallels. Parallels version 5 may be better than 4, but then again version 4 got good initial reviews only to badly disappoint in real life, so I'm not holding my breath.
Member since:2006-01-10
If you're not doing Bootcamp I strongly recommend VirtualBox.
I haven't tried the workaround for Bootcamp on a mac but if you're brave here it is. Let me know how well it works and if there is performance issues.
http://dashes.com/anil/2009/10/how-to-run-windows-7-under-mac-os-x-...
Member since:2006-05-21
I use Windows to flash my mobile phone, and under VirtualBox, the USB support wasn't good enough to do it - so Fusion (or Parallels) for me.
Otherwise for sure I'd go for VirtualBox, if it supported SparseBundles for the disk image (easier Time Machine backup) etc...
Edited 2009-11-05 14:59 UTC
Member since:
2005-07-11
I don't want this to get into a war over which is better or worse, it tends to come down to a personal decision. If your h/w isn't running it nicely, that doesn't mean it's a no show for everyone else.
Luckily you can try both and see for yourself.
I've been using //'s for a long time now, since it started and have to say version 4 was close to perfect.
We've tried Fusion, and though it was a nice product, I've always preferred //'s, but again, just personal preference.
I am sure people have had problems with it, so to them, yes, stick with Fusion I guess...
I'm currently running Ubuntu 9.10 under //'s version 5 (wobbly windows and all) and find it's very nice to use
I've played around with VirtualBox too, which is a very nice product, esp. as it is free :-) I think one problem VB has is that it doesn't do USB very well. It also didn't do the wobbly windows in Ubuntu very well either, but... that was on my 3yo iMac (which I am using now), maybe VB's fine on newer h/w.
Anyway, my advice would be take //'s 5 for a spin, it's free to test. Aero works now, it has multi monitor support and Ubuntu works a treat with it (so far)...
Member since:
2009-02-19
Member since:2005-12-21
Member since:
2009-01-26
Member since:
2009-02-11
I'm currently on the trial of Parallels 5 and I couldn't be more thrilled.
The speed increase from Parallels 4 is extraordinary. With Parallels 4 there would be some random speed bumps and 3D games where simply out of the question. Now all these are gone and I am happily playing Dragon Age: Origins inside my VM.