What windows applications do you run using parallels? So I have parallels set up, and everything about it seems awesome. Only problem is now that I have everything set up, I can't think of any legitimate reasons why I need it. I mean, the most obvious reason would be if there were some particularly useful Windows programs that were unavailable for macos... but I can't think of any. Can anyone share what they use parallels for? Or any applications they need it for?
As Steve said, Games, there are plenty of Windows only games out there. Professional CAD a 3D Modeling software like Solidworks or Inventor that has no Mac versions. But I also use parallels for testing software in a controlled environment before deployment in other computers, this also includes other OSs besides Windows.
Yeah, kindof what I was afraid of. I don't really have any interest in gaming on my laptop (I've got a solidly spec'd PC I use for that). I have MS Office for macos, and I can't do company work on my personal laptop. /shrug. Guess I'll keep it around and it'll be there if the need arises.
And viruses! If you feel you are losing out of all the fun Windows users enjoy. (Serious note: No OS is immune to malware, OS X certainly isn't, but the prevalence of malware in the Windows world is various orders of magnitude higher.)
Unique Windows applications In the routine humdrum of everyday life, you don't need Windows if you have Mac OSX. But I live on a boat, and there are several applications I routinely need that only run on Windows. As new products emerge, I will migrate to native OSX applications. For now, I'm stuck with Windows for: 1. Rosepoint software "Coastal Explorer." The developer is a former Microsoft guy who can't see beyond it. 2. WxWorx software "WxWorx on the Water." This is a small company with a unique hardware/software weather data solution. It's unlikely they'll invest in OSX in the near future. 3. Maptech "Offshore Navigator." This is a backup nav program, but I want to preserve my software investment, which means Windows. 4. GRIB Viewer. Although this is less needed as other programs increase their functionality. True, Windows has entirely too much useless overhead, but it was Microsoft's business practices that drove me to Mac. Now that I'm here, I'm NEVER going back. As soon as I can do what I need to natively, Windows is gone! In the meantime, it's Parallels or VMWARE Fusion.
WxWorx I'm considering a Macbook Pro and would be using WxWorx, Maxsea Time Zero, Nobeltec VNS 11, all Windows programs. I've heard that they do not run well in Parallels and you need to use Bootcamp...any feedback on this? Thanks.
Nav programs on Parallels MillBob , I don't run Maxsea or Nobeltec, but when I migrated from VMWARE Fusion to Parallels Desktop 7, I saw excellent improvements in Coastal Explorer performance. Also, on my boat, I don't have the real estate for a laptop on my flybridge, so I installed remote control SW on my Android Tablet and leave the Mac in the Salon. The Tablet is a much better fit on the flybridge. The remote control SW adds some overhead, but it all works fine. WxWorx does not consume much computer resource, and it also performs very well under Parallels DT. I suggest you try Parallels before you go to bootcamp. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
WxWorx Thanks fro the feedback. Have you encountered any difficulty with getting technical support from WxWorx when you contact them and tell them what platform you operating on? When I spoke with one of the support techs yesterday about what I was planning, he simply wished me good luck. Any driver issues or other glitches encountered in set up, or all straight forward? Thanks again.
WxWorx No. I haven't talked to WxWorx tech support since I migrated to Parallels, but I did when I was running Fusion. As long as you focus their attention on Windoz, they were happy. I have talked to tech support at Rosepoint, and discovered the tech there was running the same laptop and VM configuration that I was. Also, no, I have not had Windoz driver issues with WxWorx. I have the earliest WxWorx-on-Water satellite radio receiver, with usb interface, and it works fine on the Mac/virtualizer/Vista configuration. My experience has been that if the driver works on Windoz, it'll generally work in the virtualized environment. The hitch in that ointment is the Mac itself. The one exception I have found, if you use a serial-to-usb converter to attach an older NMEA0183 GPS to the machine (mine is an old Garmin GPSIII), you'll need a serial-to-usb converter that the Mac hdwr and MacOS can talk to natively. If the Mac can't talk to the adapter, it can't passthru to the virtualizer and the virtualizer can't attache it to Windoz. I did find that my then existing Belkin converter, which worked fine on a native Windoz machine, did not work on the Mac (not supported by OSX). Rosepoint tech support has a list of Mac-compatible converters on their tech support pages.
WxWorx Millbob, My previous description re: serial-to-usb converter may be mis-leading; maybe wrong. It may be that the virtualizer ***could*** have connected the Belkin converter to the Vista VM. However, I also wanted to be able to run MacENC and Polar Navy natively on the Mac side, and the Belkin converter was not supported by MacOSX (Snow Leopard). That is why I needed to change the serial-to-usb converter. But, I never actually tried the Belkin on Windoz, so I shouldn't say it doesn't work; only that I didn't try it because it couldn't do all of what I needed it to do.
