Parallels 2.1 beta - the multitasking alternative to Boot Camp

[Rick Hertzberg]

Parallels 2.1 is now beta and has a demo download good for 30 days.
It differs from BootCamp in that it runs as a Mac program, like Virtual PC.  It is supposedly much faster than VPC because, like BootCamp, it uses the Intel virtualization. Reviews so far are great with Windows XP. Try it!
http://www.p...lels.com/en/

I have installed it and set up a virtual machine but am having problems getting it to recognize the internal CD. My only Windows OS is W-95 so maybe that is part of the problem. Hopefully the Parallels staff will email me the fix soon. But I am confident that this is a good program because of the excellent reviews thus far.

[Todd Daniel]

I am interested in Parallels - thanks for the info. However, I am been a dedicated Virtual PC user for several versions now. At long last, Virtual PC 7 is actually decent, although painfully slow with some tasks. Has anyone heard if a new Virtual PC 8 will be out, which would take advantage of Intel? Having invested so much sweat equity in VPC, I'd hate to switch to Parallels only to find out that the Microsoft kids have come out with something better.

Todd

"Elizabeth Taylor falls asleep at night by counting ex-husbands. PC owners fall asleep at night by counting the latest viruses."

[Richard Lyon]

Well, I use Guest PC by Lismore systems, which is (now) quite speedy running Windows 2000 at least. Its not Intel based though.

I advise running Windows 2000 by emulation or virtualization, if you can, simply because it uses much less resources than XP.

[Royce Brown]

I guess you have to own a copy of Windows to install using Parallels?

[Rick Hertzberg]

yup, you cannot avoid having a copy of some version of Windows, unless you want to run Linux- Parallels allows that too.
What is nice is that Boot Camp only allows XP whereas Parallels allows anything a PC can run, so if you do not need latest and greatest, then keep the OS small and it should be even faster. I mainly need Wordperfect, so Win98 would be fine.
Note that the $49.99 price for Parallels expires July 15. http://www.p.../primary_os/

[Royce Brown]

Is there a better place to buy Windows or is it always the same price?

Here's a question.  If you use Parallels and logon to the internet via Windoze can you catch a virus?

[Todd Daniel]

You can catch a virus anytime you are in PeeCee world. When I use Virtual PC I follow two sanitation tips:

1) Do not do e-mail from the PeeCee.

2) Only visit the websites that you know (some websites only work with PeeCee, which is why I have to own it).

Practice safe PeeCee sex and you'll be fine.

Todd

[Royce Brown]

But if you did pick up a virus would it effect your mac?