Run windoze programs on MBP

[wparsonsgisnet]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I converted from windoze to a MacBook Pro in May.

 

One of the programs that doesn't play here is Focus Magic, and I'd really like to use it again.

 

Therefore, I am considering VMfusion and Parallels. I've seen in the various web-postings that VMf is faster and wonder if anyone here is using either or both.

 

As they say in the fund-raising world, any contribution gratefully accepted.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[stunsworth]

I've used VMWare Fusion and it worked perfectly. You'll need to budget for a copy of Windows as well.

 

Although programs run they take a while to load as they've also got to load Windows before the program can launch. It's possible to run Windows programs so that they appear against the Mac desktop - i.e. you don't see all the windows gubbins such as the desktop etc.

 

It takes up quite a bit of disk space, and if you use TimeMachine you'll want to exclude the VMWF virtual machine from your back up as it is several gig in size and is constantly changing as you run Windows applications - so it'll get backed up again every time Timemachine runs, say once every hour, if you are using Windows.

[Nicoleica]

I use Parallels every day, and once it's loaded up Windows run just as fast as on a PC. You can also configure this so that programs can be run from your Mac desktop. (I don't do this though myself, as I need to run up to 3 different versions of Windows at the same time, and prefer to keep them contained within separate Windows desktops.).

Otherwise, my comments are the same as Steve's regarding Time Machine. I use the Mac backup utility to handle my Windows backups on a set schedule. I can't advise you as to which may be faster, but I have no complaints with Parallels. You can also configure the Windows drive sizes so that they stay as small as possible.

Hope this is of some help.

[wparsonsgisnet]

Well, thanks Guys.

 

Clearly not a no-brainer.

[andybarton]

Don't forget you will need all your anti-virus and malware software up to date on the Windows partition.

[stunsworth]

Don't forget you will need all your anti-virus and malware software up to date on the Windows partition.

 

If the intention is only to run one or two programs I don't see that as a necessity.

[andybarton]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

As soon as you let it touch the outside world for, say, a program update, it is.

[archi4]

Bill

Focus Magic certainly runs on Mac. CS4 using Rosetta

maurice

[wparsonsgisnet]

Bill

Focus Magic certainly runs on Mac. CS4 using Rosetta

maurice

 

I will explore. They said no Snow Leopard.

[Michael-IIIf]

From their web site:-

 

Mac Compatibility

Focus Magic works on PowerPC versions of the Apple Mac from OS X onwards but currently only works with Intel-Macs when used with Rosetta. For details, please refer to our supported programs page. We will be releasing a Universal Binary version, however, the developers are currently working on another project which is the reason for the delay.

 

Your OS has Rosetta built-in. It will work.

[archi4]

Bill,

I have both CS4 and CS5 on my iMac using Snow Leopard.

I don't want to keep starting up CS5 in Rosetta, which is why I use Focus Magic in CS4 which I do keep in Rosetta. From LR I can choose which of the Photoshops to edit in, and from capture One which one to open the TIFF in.

I don't use Focus Magic very often, only in the rare cases in which I want to correct motion blur for which it is truly wonderful.

Maurice

[lesh]

In these very columns recently I noted a suggestion that "Crossover" provided another and perhaps simpler method of running Win programmes on a Mac. It looks promising and may be worth checking out. As is often the case......Google is your friend.

[h00ligan]

Virtual box is a free alternative to parallels or fusion, for running one or two programs I'd certainly try the free one first. It can convert some other vm files as well.