Running Windows on a Mac

July 1st, 2006

Got an Intel-based Mac and need to run programs written for Microsoft Windows? Although Apple’s free Boot Camp software is certainly an option, it pales in comparison to the relatively inexpensive Parallels Desktop software. Parallels lets you run a copy of Windows at the same time you are running the Mac OS X operating system. You’ll need to purchase Windows seperately, but it prevents the need to reboot to run a copy of your Windows software. Because it runs on Intel-based Macs, the speed is almost identical to a regular PC. Downsides? It’s not free and it does take a little while to load up. On the other hand, it runs peacefully in the background, so you can keep it running while it’s not in use. Download the demo to check it out. Remember: this only works on the newer Intel-based Macs.

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  • http://techrecs.com/?p=12 Review: Apple MacBook (Black, 2.0 Ghz) at Tech Recs

    [...] Since it is equipped with an Intel processor, the MacBook is capable of running Microsoft Windows software (see the related article). I tried it with Parallels and Windows XP and it did a fine job. What many users will find is that they don’t really need to run Windows much – the software library for the Mac is fairly complete at this point, and there’s little reason to turn to Windows unless there’s a specific program that is needed. When fed native Mac software optimized for the Intel processor, the MacBook is surprisingly speeding. Graphics performance, an initial cause for concern of early purchasers, is quite impressive, and the MacBook can easily playback Apple’s 1080p HD-quality movie trailers without stuttering. [...]