Parallels Desktop for Mac |
Virtualization software opens up Windows to Intel Macs
For many Mac users, running Windows applications is a necessity. Perhaps your employer uses software that’s available only for Windows, or requires use of a Web site that relies on some Windows-only technology. For years, these users haven’t had many options. Microsoft’s Virtual PC was the best choice, but even on the fastest Macs, it provided a less-than-speedy Windows experience.
Apple’s switch to Intel CPUs, however, means that running Windows on a Mac is suddenly much easier—there is no longer a need to emulate an entire CPU, as new Macs now use the same CPU as their Windows counterparts. This means that, in theory, running Windows on OS X should be both simpler and much faster than it was with Virtual PC.
Apple’s Boot Camp program allows new Intel Macs to boot directly into Windows XP (Pro or Home versions) and run it natively, with full support for accelerated graphics and hardware devices (other than the built-in iSight camera, that is). But rebooting is time consuming, and Mac users would much rather stay in OS X and just run Windows when needed. Plus, Boot Camp only supports Windows XP.
Enter Parallels Desktop for Mac, an OS X solution for running “guest” operating systems within OS X. Parallels utilizes the Intel chip’s hardware virtualization technology (VT). Although that’s a mouthful of buzzwords, what it means is simple: VT lets an Intel CPU act as if it were several distinct CPUs, which in turn enables guest operating systems to run much faster.
What it really means to you, the user, is that you can run a wide variety of operating systems, including multiple versions of Windows—from 3.1 to 2000 to XP—as well as multiple versions of Linux, at very good speeds, and without ever rebooting your machine.
What it really means to you, the user, is that you can run a wide variety of operating systems, including multiple versions of Windows—from 3.1 to 2000 to XP—as well as multiple versions of Linux, at very good speeds, and without ever rebooting your machine.
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Parallels Desktop for Mac 4.0 |
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Parallels Desktop for Mac 4.0, Already the world’s No. 1 selling Mac system utility, Parallels Desktop for Mac now has more than 1.5 million users worldwide and counting. Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac provides the complete suite of essentials to run Windows on Mac the easy, fast and powerful way.
The best software for you to Run all Windows on Mac!
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As noted, you can run more than just Windows using Parallels. There are at least 20 supported operating systems, many of which are free to download and use, such as Fedora Core Linux or BSD Unix. If you’ve ever wondered what Linux is all about, installing and using a version via Parallels is a relatively painless way to try it out. Download a version of Linux, set up a virtual machine, install the OS, and test it out. If you like it, keep it around. If you don’t like it, just throw away that virtual machine’s file from your hard drive, and it’s gone for good.
Since Parallels uses VT to increase performance, you can run more than one guest OS at a time. I’ve run as many as four at once without having the Core Duo grind to a halt in protest. For those who need to test a Web site in many browsers on many platforms, this can be a huge time saver.
Related solution
How to run Windows programs on Mac?
How to run Windows XP on a Mac? |
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If your job requires Windows, but you love your Mac and OS X, Parallels will truly give you the best of both worlds.  |
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 --- MacWorld. |
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