How To Run Windows on a Mac
14 Nov 2008
For those of us out there who love Macs, but just can’t completely escape from the world of Windows, there are many really good ways to run Windows programs on a Mac. This week, one of our favorites just got better. Before I explain, let’s talk about how we Windows lovers (or those of us somehow bound to Windows) can run Windows programs on their Mac.
Rule #1, you pretty much have to have a Mac with an Intel processor. That’s any Mac bought in the last 3 or 4 years, so you’re probably good on that one.
First – Apple’s Boot Camp. This is a free program, but it’s only included in OS X 10.5 (Leopard.) If you have an older version of Leopard, you’ll have to upgrade. Contact us to find out about our upgrade services. Boot Camp allows you to turn your Mac into a PC, and even switch back and forth. This is a great solution for those of us that run Windows more than OS X, or who need to harness the full power of their computer when using Windows (gamers, artists, 3D modelers, etc.)
Next is virtualization. With virtualization, we run a little “virtual Windows” installation inside of OS X. There’s no rebooting, and you can run Windows and Mac simultaneously – even keeping applications from Windows and OS X open together on the same screen. This is a very convenient solution, though not quite as fast as Boot Camp (it’s faster to open your copy of Windows, but Windows will run slower.) The kings of virtualization on the Mac are VMware Fusion and Parallels. Parallels is the easiest in our opinion, including features to migrate your old PC into your new Mac. This week, Parallels released version 4, which increases performance by 50% – a huge boost. If you want help purchasing and installing Parallels, give us a call.
Finally, for the brave of heart, there are programs such as CrossOver which attempt to run Windows programs without Windows itself, using a system called “Wine.” I wont get into the technical details, but you should know that these programs are pretty experimental and only good for the simplest of Windows applications.
So there you have it – run Windows apps on your Mac – it doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. Don’t forget though that you will need to puchase a copy of Windows XP, which is a cost that people often don’t consider.
If you have questions about using Windows on a Mac, just contact us and we’ll give you some more help.
3 Responses
2008 Nov 14
[...] How To Run Windows on a Mac [...]
2008 Nov 19
Thanks for the review. I’d take issue with one point: your statement that Wine is “only good for the simplest of Windows applications.” Bear in mind that complexity / simplicity of the Windows app really has nothing to do with whether it will run or not. It all depends on how the application itself talks to the Windows API. We run applications like Office 2003 and 2007 *very* well, and they are among the most complex Windows applications on the planet. On the flip, we don’t run some applications that, on the face of it, you’d think were so stupid simple they’d simply go without any problem at all. Bottom Line: it’s tough to tell at face value what will go, and what won’t. That’s why we offer a free demo version of our product–so that people can try CrossOver with their favorite applications, and see how it does. We don’t support everything, it’s true. But we can surprise you with what we *do* support, and we’re getting better all the time.
Best Wishes,
-jon parshall-
COO
CodeWeavers
2008 Dec 04
Thanks for the POV Jon. I’ll have to give CrossOver a closer look, I understand it’s getting more popular, I see you are now supporting PC games on the Mac as well – very impressive.