Neglected Step-Child

[misterjangles]

Anybody else here in the Parellels Workstation group feel like the neglected step-child? OSX is up to 3.0 and we still are running the version from november '06

:confused:

[afore]

Most assuredly. I was told about 6 or 7 months ago there would be fixes some of my problems with WinXP under linux "soon" with the upcoming version 3 release. Guess Parallels concept of "soon" and mine are quite different. I expected two to three months, guess they mean a year or so.

[Roaster]

I'm very annoyed, too, spoken with friendly words! Mac, Mac and again Mac - you read it everywhere and nothing more than cheap words here about an upcoming version for Windows. Instead of releasing a new version for Windows they decided to announce a completely new product: Parallels Server or whatever.

I switched over to VirtualBox. It's free and I run XP and Linux as guest without any problems so far - even snapshots are possible.

I will try to set up Vista and some older Windows releases, too, but for now VirtualBox is better than Wkst 2.2.

I bet, when you have to pay again for an upgrade to Wkst 3 a majority of users will be again disappointed 'cause of bugs and missing features.

[jruschme]

On 6/21, Andrew@Parallels stated in another thread (Will Any NEW version of Linux Install as Guest? (http://forum.parallels.com/thread13257.html)). that a minor release of PWS 2.x was due "very soon" and that it would include fixes for the latest kernels as well as Tools for Linux.

That said... it's been almost three weeks... anybody know how to translate Parallels-speak to calendar units?

[Ynot]

No any correct date, seems minor update for 2.x windows and linux version will be available till autumn.

And we plan to release something for linux and windows till end of this year.

[jruschme]

No any correct date, seems minor update for 2.x windows and linux version will be available till autumn.

AUTUMN???!!! As in sometime after 21 September?

Someone sanity check me... the "minor", but long overdue update to PWS 2.x which was due "very soon" after 21 June (Summer Solstice- first day of summer) is, in fact, not going to be released until after 21 September (Autumnal Equinox- first day of autumn)?

Okay, so "very soon" means "at least a full quarter". Further, it means that the next update to 2.x will not come until almost a full year after the last update.

Should we assume that this next minor update (the one nut due until the fall) will be the last update of 2.x prior to the "planned" release of 3.x for Win/Lin?

[scottj]

No any correct date, seems minor update for 2.x windows and linux version will be available till autumn.

And we plan to release something for linux and windows till end of this year.

Quite frankly, Ynot, that's outrageous.

Well, I gave Parallels a good six months but have reluctantly switched to VMWare due to my need to have both NAT'd and bridged LAN connectivity-- NAT functionality is needed to connect to things like T-mobile hotspots. I tried VirtualBox and had a lot of problems; VMWare went smoothly so I'm a generally happy customer of their products now. I found Parallels easier to use and maybe a little faster, but my need for connectivity outweighs those considerations. Meanwhile there have been too many broken promises from Parallels, and no visible progress, and now this. What a shame.

[Ray]

No any correct date, seems minor update for 2.x windows and linux version will be available till autumn.

And we plan to release something for linux and windows till end of this year.

It is almost impossible to understand the intent of this post:

1. Is the intention of paragraph 1 meant to imply that a minor update to the windows/Linux version "will NOT be available until sometime in the (US) autumn"

2. Is the intention of paragraph 2 meant to imply that they have:

a) NO PLANS to release "SOMETHING" for Windows/Linux this year
or
b) PLANS to release "SOMETHING" for Windows/Linux but not until the end of this year

Either way - so much for Andrews post last month.

Ray

[Roaster]

And we plan to release something for linux and windows till end of this year.

"SOMETHING"?? No facts either this could mean everything from a new washbowl to a new nuclear power station, right?

In fact we would like to hear something more handier. A name and of course a release date. "Something" could also mean the new sever product which is of no use either for us Windows user.

So please, for your customers sake, stop developing new products and update the existing ones first and relase them in a timely manner.

Thanks!

[spectre]

Sorry for any confusion that may have been caused by Ynot's answer, the situation is a bit clearer than it may look like judging from his post :)
Actually, we have quite an extensive development roadmap for Parallels Workstation for Windows/Linux versions.
We are going to release new PW 2.2 version with various bugfixes and improvements soon. And the work is already in progress on the next generation Parallels VM desktop and server versions for Win/Lin hosts, to make sure you'll be able to easily use our virtualization solutions on any OS, be it Windows, Linux or Mac and switch between them without any problems or drawbacks.

[jruschme]

We are going to release new PW 2.2 version with various bugfixes and improvements soon.

Spectre, with all due respect, is it a Parallels company policy to not use any wording which might imply an actual date on which something might occur?

On 21 June, Andrew described this update as coming "very soon". On 9 July, Ynot stated that this update would not be released until "autumn", at least two months from now. Today, you describe it as coming "soon".

Can't we get a real date for this "minor" update? As a software developer, I understand the importance of setting realistic dates and them meeting them. As a user, though, I'd like to know that I can expect an update "on or around" some date.

I have to be honest... at the moment, I'm inclined to think that ynot is the only one who really knows when things might be available. I'm guessing that he is much closer to the development process and knows when things will be done. Everyone else, I fear, is just tapdancing.

[spectre]

jruschme,

As a software developer you probably know that a program is generally released "as soon as it's ready" and there is nothing worse than to give end-users an exact date of release and then see how it doesn't happen because of some nasty bug found in the last moments before release.
That's precisely why we try to avoid giving any narrow time frames for the release. But "soon" indicates that we are really working on it and it's on our short-term plans.

Spectre, with all due respect, is it a Parallels company policy to not use any wording which might imply an actual date on which something might occur?

On 21 June, Andrew described this update as coming "very soon". On 9 July, Ynot stated that this update would not be released until "autumn", at least two months from now. Today, you describe it as coming "soon".

Can't we get a real date for this "minor" update? As a software developer, I understand the importance of setting realistic dates and them meeting them. As a user, though, I'd like to know that I can expect an update "on or around" some date.

I have to be honest... at the moment, I'm inclined to think that ynot is the only one who really knows when things might be available. I'm guessing that he is much closer to the development process and knows when things will be done. Everyone else, I fear, is just tapdancing.

[jruschme]

jruschme,

As a software developer you probably know that a program is generally released "as soon as it's ready" and there is nothing worse than to give end-users an exact date of release and then see how it doesn't happen because of some nasty bug found in the last moments before release.
That's precisely why we try to avoid giving any narrow time frames for the release. But "soon" indicates that we are really working on it and it's on our short-term plans.

I can certainly appreciate the "we sell no wine before its time" sentiment. I get it... you planned to move everything to 3.X... the Mac port took longer than though (and probably showed up problems in the 3.X design, etc.), so now you're going back to update 2.X in the meantime.

Long time Macintosh users reading this post may remember the long drought following the release of MacOS 7.5.3 while Apple worked on Copeland, the planned MacOS 8. Ultimately, they had to go back and release a long-overdue update to 7.5.5, followed by 7.6 and the eventual MacOS 8.

Borrowing an analogy from the movie "Annie Hall", though, the relationship between a company and its customers, "...I think, is like a shark. You know, it has to constantly move forward or it dies. And I think what we got on our hands is a dead shark. "

Look around, the PWS 2.x is not the only game in the Windows and Linux world and its not even the best or cheapest one anymore. The users who post in these forums feel abandoned by Parallels with no hope of seeing any improvement within a definable time frame. Instead, we are told that we should really be waiting for 3.x which will provide everything just short of peace in our time.

Had there been a steady flow of updates, then people would not necessarily want dates. It's like the old line about buses- there'll be another one along in a little while. Instead, though, the PWS users feel left at the bus stop, wondering if they missed the last bus of the night and will have to walk home.

[Ben @ Parallels]

Hi guys -

We are already in development for a MAJOR update to Workstation that will include all of the great stuff that we introduced in Desktop, as well as a pile of new features that we can't disclose yet.

Please keep in mind that even though Parallels has had a lot of success (100% due to our users), we're still small and we only have so many man-hours of development to work with. We're doing our best to get everything (Desktop, Workstation and our upcoming Server) out the door as soon as we can.

Good news is that we're working towards total version parity...meaning that when one product is updated, they'll ALL be updated with a few weeks of eachother!

[suselinuks]

I am sure that I am not the only one who is sorely disappointed by the whole operation, in various ways. My decision to purchase the current version of Workstation was significantly affected by your promise that this would include a free upgrade to the next version released during the coming year. Obviously that is an easy promise to make if you are not actually releasing such an upgrade. Furthermore, two of my support requests (for significant problems) were initially completely ignored. Even getting into contact via PM with one of your staff following some complaints on the forum has not actually lead to any results (except silence).

As many others, this has forced me to give up on Parallels. The thing for Parallels to worry about is that this is not just a loss of a current customer, but that such behavior will damage the trust people have in their future product and support.

(The only reason I have to still visit this forum is that I still have the idle hope that there might be a next version and I have already spent my money. The program is not even installed on my computer any more (since I had the impression it was reducing the stability of the system))

[jruschme]

Please keep in mind that even though Parallels has had a lot of success (100% due to our users), we're still small and we only have so many man-hours of development to work with. We're doing our best to get everything (Desktop, Workstation and our upcoming Server) out the door as soon as we can.

Which begs the question of whether Parallels has attempted to grow faster/larger than it can support- a move which has sunk many a company.

I assume that we will see Parallels Server before PWS 3.X. It will be interesting to see if that launch consumes so much that even the PD users feel neglected.

Good news is that we're working towards total version parity...meaning that when one product is updated, they'll ALL be updated with a few weeks of eachother!

Which will be great, assuming that Parallels is not so busy ir so overextended chasing the "next great thing" that it doesn't update any of the then-current products. This is the core of the concern that the PWS users have now.

[Andrew @ Parallels]

Guys,

I understand your dissappointment and respect your feelings. We are working hard on the new generation of Win/Lin product which will be fully unified and feature compatible with Parallels Desktop for Mac. Unfortunately it take time. We will do our best to deliver it as soon as possible.

[jruschme]

Guys,

I understand your dissappointment and respect your feelings. We are working hard on the new generation of Win/Lin product which will be fully unified and feature compatible with Parallels Desktop for Mac. Unfortunately it take time. We will do our best to deliver it as soon as possible.]

Andrew,

We get it... PWS 3.x is coming... it will be wonderful... etc.

What I think you're missing (or flat out ignoring) is that there are a lot of people here who would feel better about Parallels, Inc. if you would just release a PWS 2.x update in the mean time (like the one you said three weeks ago was coming "very soon").

As it is, I think a lot of people feel like they are adrift at sea and instead of throwing them a lifeline, you are standing there telling them how comfortable the rescue helicopter will be.

[dleuen]

Guys,

I understand your dissappointment and respect your feelings. We are working hard on the new generation of Win/Lin product which will be fully unified and feature compatible with Parallels Desktop for Mac. Unfortunately it take time. We will do our best to deliver it as soon as possible.

I'm calling BS on this. Actions speak louder than words. Last fall, I was ready to recommend Parallels for a large development staff. I am so glad I did not. I would have really looked like an idiot. I'm sure there are many others like me who cannot recommend Parallels for their corporation because of the lack of action. I'll bet anything we see more Mac versions before we see a Linux/Win version. Parallels already has our money and they don't see any more money in Win/Linux. Probably afraid to compete with other Win/Linux solutions like Vmware. It will be interesting when more Mac competition arrives. I'd think a few large corporate accounts could make up for a lot of single Mac sales, but what do I know. I guess, as a small company, they haven't learned that screwing loyal customers so you can reach some new market can come back to bite them. At any rate, I'm not holding my breath. We all made a poor choice by spending money on Parallels. I visit Parallels web site about once a month to see if anything has happened. It is past time to move on.

[Roaster]

... a new version for Mac users!

But I'm still full of hope: I wish those enhancements and bug fixes will immediately find there way into the new Workstation release, too.

Is there really DX9 support in the Mac version now as stated in another posting in the Mac forums?

BTW, I like the website and wish I could get any RSS feeds on the main page or from the blog. Is this possible? Did I miss sthg?

[JBHorner]

Be patient with Parallels? Let me give you the situation I face: You have released a product that does not work well with Vista. I purposely bought your product so that I could have multiple versions of operating systems on systems used in two teams for which I have ultimate responsibility. I even went to bat for your product, based on my (at the time) good experience with the Mac product. "This is a company that is forward-thinking, and a company that can be trusted."

Now, I'm stuck with a product that just does not work. I don't care about the size of your company. I only care that I bought your product in good faith (and licensed it for several computers), and that you have done absolutely nothing to step up and fix the problems.

What you've stated is that you don't have the resources to support something you sold. Period. I'm not okay with having to buy software twice to do the same task. That is what I will end up doing. Now I have to buy VMWare for the PCs. I also personally have licensed Parallels for Mac. I will be dumping that too, as I cannot trust your company to do the right thing. In fact, I've already bought two licenses for Fusion. (I find that it runs better anyway.)

So, I don't feel that any one of your customers should be sympathetic to your plight. There was a commitment made that the release 3.0 of your software was going to be "simultaneously" released for all platforms. Then you went back on that. Then it was a statement that there would be an incremental fix to the existing version. No date, and no delivery. It is obvious that the bulk of your development resources went to the Mac platform.

The credibility of your organization is the extraordinarily low.

Joel

[jensw]

Almost 8 months since the last workstation update now. So the workstation is still not running very fine on Vista. May we expect a bugfix release that works fine with the new OS or do we have to wait and pay for the next major release? And to what price are you going to sell the upgrade?

Jens

[MaximS]

Update: Parallels Workstation 2.2 Build 2204 is available (http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=16965)

[Roaster]

Update: Parallels Workstation 2.2 Build 2204 is available (http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=16965)
Sure,

but this is not a version 3 release which Mac users have for a long time now, even in beta stage.

[Roaster]

...again a new build/release for MAC - I guess you don't need more comments? Needless to say that I'm very disappointed!

[jruschme]

...again a new build/release for MAC - I guess you don't need more comments? Needless to say that I'm very disappointed!

I'm wondering if it would be more productive to express our concerns as comments on Ben's blog post rather than in this venue.

[Roaster]

This does not help either, I did this many times before, exactly when a new Mac release was announced, and no comments from Ben.

Since those comments in the blog are moderated he is able to dismiss inconvenient texts anyway.

[peten]

Rarely do I actively regret buying a piece of software, but I have to confess in the case of parallels workstation this is the case. A 'neglected step-child' does seem to be the best way of putting it.

I've since uninstalled workstation and installed a certain piece of free software others may be familiar with, which actually works. Well. Without the lovely 'oh hey the virtualizer crashed, please email me to the developers who will throw me into a fire' error reports I remember so fondly. Oh, and USB works too.

Why it can manage this while being a free download and workstation can't while being a paid-for product.. Well. Who knows!

[Roaster]

Hi peten,

I've already switched to VMWare Workstation 6, about six month ago and I'm really happy with it. One day Parallels will come back to Windows but till see that time is already up for them.

[John@Parallels]

We prepare new Windows version with very amazing features, details will be available soon

[Roaster]

John,

abundantly late insight, you know. We have heard this sentence many times before and are awaiting this new version for more than a year now!

As mentioned above, I already switched to VMWare and you can be sure I won't come back to Parallels. I guess many others did also look for alternatives and it will be very hard for Parallels marketing to convince 'old' customers to come back.

Usually this will happen only by offering (very) special discounts for former customers.

[John@Parallels]

I am using it already :) (Parallels Workstation 3)
Ok, I do not want to say something without it is published on our web site, and I understand your situation.

[Roaster]

John,

that's good for you ;-) and of course I understand you cannot give more information this time.

As you can see from my join date, I'm using or better I've used Workstation 2.x since 2006 but I got no new features the last two years that's pretty annoying.

Your competitors did a better job by enhancing and fixing their appropriate products during this time and of course your customers are not very happy when not getting new features which others vendors already implemented.

[John@Parallels]

Yes, we understand this situation, and we will try to do the best to get and overcome them
-- by support
-- by features

[tanstaafl]

Wow...

After reading all of these, I' guess its time to start looking for alternatives..

I've actually already played a bit with the free VirtualBox, and it works pretty well... and gets updates more than once every two years...

Unbelievable... promising 'partity with Mac releases' months ago, and now Mac Desktop 4.0 is released, and STILL no new version of Workstation...

I'm not to the point where I've decided to buy something else, but I'm getting close... either that, or just switching entirely to VirtualBox...

Sad, really... they'll probably release a killer update, and no one will be left to appreciate it...

[Roaster]

tanstaafl,

completely forget Parallels Workstation. Their competitors are miles ahead. We were promised to get a new version last year but nothing available for today in 2008.

Parallels always told us from that point on the Mac and Windows version are on the same code level, updates and new versions will come up more quickly, b****it! We, the customers, were tricked! First we bought Parallels Workstation and afterwards this company totally dismissed development for the Windows version.

I've switched to VMWare last year and do not regret at all. I even uninstalled Parallels and won't return anymore.

I bet one time Parallels will need the Windows user again, if all competitors have placed their products in the market, and it will be very difficult to convince those tricked customers again to buy Parallels products again.

Good bye Parallels!

[jruschme]

Quoting my own response to a different thread...

Based on posts made in these forums some months ago (could it be almost a year?), the word seemed to be that a new version of PWS would have to wait until after Parallels Server as the overall plan was to move to a more modern, unified codebase based on the PD and PS code.

So, where do we stand... According to the Products page, Parallels Server for Mac is available for purchase. Parallels Server for Windows and Linux is still in Beta. This is interesting in that one would think a single product family based on a single unified codebase should be at more or less the same level of readiness. Moreover, PS/Mac even includes features that must have required some significant Mac-specific development such as the ability to virtualize Mac OS X Server.

I'm inclined to infer that one or more of several things must be taking place:

1) Parallels is, quite simply, throwing the bulk of its efforts at the Mac, recognizing that it is the only platform on which it has any significant advantage over the competition (nobody else has a server product for the Mac and PD still has some feature advantages over Fusion and VirtualBox).

2) Parallels is finding Linux too hard to keep up with. As a Linux user, I cringe at this thought, but it's interesting to note that ever couple of kernel releases seems to require a new/different patch to allow the kernel modules to compile. (For a while, users of VMWare products on Linux had to rely on unsupported community patches to compile there kernel modules, also.) The patch for 2.6.25 also requires a kernel rebuild with specific options set, moving the problem out of the realm of the casual user who just wants to run whatever kernel came with the disto.

3) Parallels is still working on (looking for?) the killer feature for a Windows/Linux product to make it more than a "too little, too late" or "been there, done that" upgrade. This is the correlary to inference #1. Between VMWare Workstation 6.5 and VirtualBox 2.x, all of Parallels early wins on the Mac (3-D, seamless windows) have been done. VirtualBox also takes away the possibility of releasing an inferior product and trying to win on price (arguably, the strategy that PWS was using in the first place). Conversely, if they do have such a feature, this might explain why there has been no formal product announcement, no beta, etc. as the plan would be to simultaneously announce and release, giving the competition no time to react.

Personally, I don't think we'll hear of a release until after (or simultaneously with) the PS for Win/Lin release.

What I can't fathom is what Parallels will do to build a Windows/Linux user base. As it is, the delays and inattention have damaged the trust, if not driven away, many early users. Just winning them back is going to be challenge enough and while the free upgrade may get them to come back and look, there is going to have to be some kind of public commitment to continued support in order to get them to stay.

Honestly, I just wish someone in some authority at Parallels would just come out on the blog and say "Look, here is where we are WRT Linux and Windows. Here is where we are trying to get to. And here is what's keeping us from getting there."

[John@Parallels]

I answered out there, and once again
We are working on Parallels Workstation version for very hard, and I think (my opinion) it will be free,

[Roaster]

We are working on Parallels Workstation version for very hard, and I think (my opinion) it will be free
John, with respect,

we've listen to this song for almost 1 1/2 year now (could be even longer, not to say more than 2 years now). In the meantime the Maccies have received version 3 and now version 4, Workstation is still on 2.2 and of course still without features other competitors already implemented light years before.

During this time Parallels tried to do some server versions but failed so far - nothing more. This development power had been better put into the release of a new Workstation instead. Once I bought Workstation because it was an affordable alternative to VMWare and now I'm totally disappointed. That said, I had to go with VMware nevertheless 'cause I simply could not wait untill Parallels redeems their promises.

Even if a new version of Workstation would be free and won't install it now and ever since all my VMs are already set up and perfectly running in VMWare. So no need to convert again.

Again, one day Parallels will have to win back those valuable customers they once threw away.

[John@Parallels]

I understand situation exactly and understand your position too, but I hope the features it will provide will probably change your mind
I hope so, at least

[Roaster]

John,

I bet you have a tough job here ;-)

I believe that those promised features (if we could see them a day) are already available in your competitors products, so there will be still no need to switch again.

[John@Parallels]

Probably, if you are talking about Windows version, I am not Windows fun to test in depth, but for Linux, they do not have it

[Parallelogram]

I'm not sure if "neglected step-child" is the right metaphor, because Parallels Desktop for OS X feels tremendously neglected as well. Even if they come out with lots of upgrades with impressive-looking version numbers, it still doesn't actually work. (Many versions literally won't even try to start a virtual machine.)

[jruschme]

A couple of interesting quotes from the Information Week review of Parallels Desktop 4 (http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal_tech/reviews/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212100002&pgno=1&queryText=&isPrev=) which opened with the following:


When the first version of Parallels Desktop hit the streets two years ago, it was just amazing. The software allowed you to run Windows, along with its applications, on Mac OS X. Mac users just flipped for it.

But with Parallels Version 3, introduced last year, the company seemed to have lost its way. The software was slow and buggy. Users put up with the problems for a while, because it was the only product of its kind, but when competition emerged, in the form of VMware Fusion, users switched to the new product. VMware even ran its own "switcher" marketing campaign, like Apple did against Windows.

Today, I know about a dozen people who use the VMware product. I only know one person who still uses Parallels. He complains about it a lot.

This month the company (also called Parallels) introduced Parallels Desktop 4, which it says has significantly improved performance and stability over the previous version, and a few new features.

In other words: Parallels is back from its long spree in Vegas, with a bouquet of roses in hand and a hangdog expression its face. It's promising to be good. It wants us to take it back.

Should we open our hearts and give the relationship with Parallels one more try? Or should we kick it to the curb?


And ended with the conclusion:


But I can't give my wholehearted recommendation to Parallels. The product's history is tainted. Parallels 3 was a lemon, and a company that comes out with a lemon once might do it again. You might be happy with Parallels 4, but find that Parallels 5 is a dud, and you've spent money on a dead-end product.

Moreover, while I didn't find any significant bugs in Parallel 4, other people have. Or they claim to. Users are complaining on the Internet about problems installing Parallels 4 and getting support. For example, see these Lifehacker comments from rychdom, and Durbrow (with replies). NineTailedFox writes: "The application is named 'Parallels' on the basis that there may be parallel realities in which I'm happy about being charged $40 to upgrade a piece of software which has never approached acceptable performance."

Normally, I'd write those off as a vocal minority -- any new product, no matter how good, will create problems for some users. But given Parallels' troubled history, I'm reluctant to simply dismiss the complainers' concerns.

[Roaster]

Thanks jruschme for this quote. Good to know that not only Windows users were ripped off :-)

[Robertjm]

Crickets....Crickets.

Have to ask, where is the version John told us they were hard at work at last year? Still nothing? Not even a leaked rumor?

[John@Parallels]

I didn't promised any ETA, but we are working, just watch our site

[André Sá]

And there is no ETA at all?

Couldn't you at Parallels just tell us about a roadmap schedule?

[John@Parallels]

Sorry, no, , just please watch our website

[Roaster]

John, we are watching for almost two years now. I already forgot how the main website looks ;-)

[André Sá]

John, you've told that the new Workstation version will bring new features to the Linux users.
I've been asking myself what features would that be, that other software haven't already release.

[André Sá]

I've heard the rumor a Workstation beta version would come out during March.
Is this true? Or just a false rumor?