Extremely Happy with RC2

N

nhand42

Member
The Parallels Team has done a fantastic job with RC2. All the niggling problems I was having with B6 and RC1 are completely fixed.

Fullscreen mode works beautifully and the integration with VirtueDesktop is ideal. Even the Virtue watermarks, showing you which desktop you've transitioned to, are now visible. In B6 the watermarks were hidden behind the Parallels window.

In fullscreen mode, if you place the uncaptured cursor near the top of the screen the OS X menubar appears. That's exactly the right behaviour.

All the preferences dialogs now look like OS X dialogs. The spacing and layout has been subtley improved. The dialogs weren't horrible in the beta, but neither were they like the rest of OS X. They look right at home in RC2.

When I ctrl-shift-arrow transition away (with VirtueDesktop) and then transition back, the focus has been correctly lost and the ctrl/shift/option keys are not stuck in states that differ from their physical key states. That's a very welcome fix.

Thanks for providing so many options for right-click! I personally prefer the pretzel-click for right click simulation, because the guest OS doesn't use the pretzel key anyway. But I can't imagine anybody not being happy with the right-click situation anymore.

DHCP networking is working again. Setting the address manually wasn't a big chore, but it's so nice to have the automatic IP assignment back again.

Sleep works again! Close the lid, the whole machine is asleep within a few seconds. Open the lid and both desktops - OS X and the guest OS - are still working. Fantastic. The only minor problem is that the guest OS has fallen out of fullscreen after the sleep/wake cycle. But that's a trivial problem, hardly worth mentioning.

Tops work, guys. You're doing a superb job on this product.
 
Hey nhand42,

How are you shift-arrow-clicking out of fullscreen with virtue? When I'm in fullscreen, it won't release those key commands to OSX and I can't switch out....
 
Same here..

When WinXP is in fullscreen, I can't get Virtue to swap out. The keys aren't recognized.

I've tried the default Ctrl-Shift up/down and even tried to map different buttons.

It usually swaps the first time in XP (if I haven't used the keyboard), but as soon as I swap into XP and type something on the keyboard, I can't get the Virtue keys to work.
 
although i've been following PD since beta 4, this is my first post and i have to say that RC2 is a very nice release. Been running it using virtualdesktop and fullscreen mode. I don't have any problems changing screens using the keyboard shortcuts.

btw, im on a mbp. good job guys! you pre-sold me.
 
yeah, i'm pre-sold too...

but it'd be nice if we could find a way to get some of the beta6 functionality back.
specifically the ctrl-shift-arrow virtue combo, and also the cmd-tab inside of fullscreen mode. they worked so perfectly and intuitively in beta6 and now they're gone.

other than that, working great. :)
 
xzeezeex said:
Hey nhand42,

How are you shift-arrow-clicking out of fullscreen with virtue? When I'm in fullscreen, it won't release those key commands to OSX and I can't switch out....
Click to expand...

How strange. When my guest OS (Linux) is in fullscreen mode and it has the focus (ie, when I type the keystrokes go to Linux) I just hit ctrl-shift-arrow or cmd-tab and it jumps to another screen. It's the same behaviour as in B6 only even better, because it correctly releases the focus before switching desktops.

I can't explain why it doesn't work for you.

PS: also the suspend/resume time is so much faster than RC1, it's like comparing Apples and Dells. It's taking (rough estimate) 3 seconds to suspend and a similar time to resume.
 
My Windows uses are relatively simple compared to the power users who post here. I use online access to the Meditech product my hospital requires for labwork, patient information, etc. This functionality has worked since Beta4, when I first started using Parallels. The main differences I note in RC2 are refinement of the UI, more stable shared folders, and improved speed. I don't use USB devices in Windows but would like to see the potential realized in this program just in case I need it.

Otherwise, bravo, Parallels staff! I've already prepaid and think this software I'm already using on a daily basis rocks.
 
Ok, I've figured it out. You need to turn off "Enable access for assistive devices" in the universal access panel.... That got all the keys working again for me....

Bummer, because I had that turned on to use Textpander.... If anyone knows of a way to do both, I'm all ears. :)
 
Yeah, it would be nice to not have to disale assitive devices, as Witch needs to feature to work.
 
HOWDY, a newbie here...

Folks, first post here and it'll be an easy read. I just took possession of a spankin' new white MacBook with 2 Gbytes of Ram, downloaded PARALLELS as per the recommendation of an Apple system engineer based in Houston, dug around all over the house for some sort of install Windows CDs from machines of the past, and bam! Here I am, very happy.

This has been the most amazing experience for me. I am almost ready to get rid of the Dell Tower in the house which is hooked up via a KVM switch to a five-year old G4 Tower. My word, this MacBook and PARALLELS are natural partners.

I have saved about 80 messages all over the forum and found out how to do this, and how to do that, such as the issue with how to use function keys, how to get "control/alt/delete" function to work. I have impressed the HECK out of some Windows pals of mine by geeking them out with the rotating cube effect to the full XP screen as the MacBook showed off a bit.

I'll be doubly impressed if I can get just one item to work, though. It has never worked on my Dell Tower, but has on my neighbors Compaq. I have a Garmin GPS receiver with a USB port. Never have any of us been able to get it to talk to the Dell Tower via USB. It is perfectly happy with that sorry-old-Compaq. I will dance at everyone's wedding if it will work with my setup here.

I don't expect it to, but I'm going to install the software and give it a try.

Well, thanks again, y'all. I have not had this much fun on a computer in ages.
 
Simply a follow-up. Life is good! USB is weird, but for me, I have it all working---at least for my needs! Thanks to PARALLELS, I have the "ultimate" MacBook computer....

My #1 purpose for Windows is to use my Garmin 76CS satellite receiver. Using the receiver and a real-time mapping program, I can use a computer's large screen to display a map when I'm on a road. This is used for finding geocache's, or general navigation. Before I purchased this Mac, my only option was to use my work computer, a DELL. I really didn't want to have to use an office computer for personal hobby stuff or navigating down the road.

The Garmin has always been stupid when trying to access its USB port. And, as expected, PARALLELS and Garmin didn't do the USB talk at all. Nada... nothing.

Sooooo, I went to Radio Shack and purchase a USB to SERIAL adapter. In short, not only does this work, it works exceedingly well!!! After installing the driver software, my Mac VM immediately saw the adapter, it showed up in the Device Manager. I was so amazed that my Garmin immediately showed up on my Mac, talking to the mapping software, displaying where I was on the real-time map.

I took my Mac and the Gamin out to the truck and drove all over town.

With this Mac's gorgeous screen that does NOT wash out at all in the bright sunlight, I had the perfect mapping rig in a vehicle. I am so pleased with this... A price of $100 is almost too cheap for PARALLELS. I mean, opening up such a world like this on my little white MacBook literally freaks me.

Secondly, USB is weird in what works and doesn't work. I get a kernal panic when I plug in the Apple Mighty Mouse while booted up in XP. Go figger.... so, we don't do that!!!!

Yet, I can take my hopelessly-out-of-date Cannon 1220 U scanner, that hasn't work on my Mac or Dell tower since the last few OS upgrades on both machines, and plug it into my Mac, and it works perfectly with PARALLELS. I'm sure once USB is totally tweaked and running at 100%, that it will die on PARALLELS as well, but I'm certainly happy that it works with this release.

Of all items that work, I am surprised at the Canon since it gets its power from the USB port and when digging on GOOGLE, one will see that it has years of complaints from both Mac and Windows users.

Well, anyway... I am SO happy about this product. It has been years since a mere computer has fired me up this way.

This is one of those things in which I wish I could thank the programmers in person and buy them all lunch or something!!!

--Larry Rymal
 
nhand42 said:
The Parallels Team has done a fantastic job with RC2. All the niggling problems I was having with B6 and RC1 are completely fixed.
Click to expand...

You don`t seem to have "high" expectations :-) .

"High" = USB 2.0 support, CD-R / DVD-R drive, smooth and fast XP ...
 
Larry__Rymal said:
Simply a follow-up. Life is good! USB is weird, but for me, I have it all working---at least for my needs! Thanks to PARALLELS, I have the "ultimate" MacBook computer....

[snip}

Sorry, I'm missing something... here's what I don't get about the USB to Serial adaptor: Where does the Serial end go on the MacBook? My setup: eTrex Legend C, white Macbook.

The Garmin has a mini USB connector on the back which attaches to the Garmin-supplied mini USB to USB (dongled) cable. As well documented here, that cable attached directly to the MacBook running Parallels Desktop for MAC ain't doin' nuthin'.

thanks, Phil
Click to expand...
 
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