I’m going to be running some windows apps on my new Mac & was all set to get “Parallels” to do the job, but now I see on the Apple Store web site, another product “VMware Fusion” which seems to do the same job.

According to the reviews on the site, VMware seems to be the better product.

Anyone, got experience of it & if so any recommendations as to which I should go for ??

I've used VMware countless times (and it is great for virtualising Windows builds) but not on Macs. I don't go near Macs as they are bad for my health VA uses Macs, although not sure he spends much time running Windows software. 

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Well, I have been on mac since the Apple II but never had the need to run pc soft on it. Heard about these two sofwtare and I am sure you can find a website that will list the pros and cons of both.
But maybe the best if you need to run pc's sftwares would be to install Boot camp from Apple and then the windows version you required.
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Or there's CrossOver which allows you to run Windows apps on Macs without installing Windows.

http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/

I have no clue how good/bad it is though...  

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I run Parallels and have tried VMWare. Both have their good points. For me it was just down to the interface and usability and I found I preferred Parallels.

Having said that, vitualisation is OK for quickly launching a PC specific app (I have to use it to interrogate an Access Db) but unless you have a very Mac Pro or similar it's no substitute for a native PC install which you can achieve on the Mac using Bootcamp.

I'm not sure if VMWare has this but Parallels can use an image on a BootCamp Install. OOI what apps do you need access to? Darren Griffin
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Jimmy_75000 wrote:

......................But maybe the best if you need to run pc's sftwares would be to install Boot camp from Apple and then the windows version you required..................

DarrenG wrote:

..........what apps do you need access to?

DarrenG wrote:

I'm not sure if VMWare has this but Parallels can use an image on a BootCamp Install. OOI what apps do you need access to?

Let me see if I can have a go at this.

Boot Camp
Pro's
Provides basic pointers to the windows software where the hardware components are, i.e. RAM , Hard drive etc. and therefore turns the MAC into a PC. This is the most "compatible" way of operating and because there is no virtualisation layer also provides the highest performance under windows. There was an interesting article in a local magazine recently that had a performance shootout on which notebook to buy to run windows on.... the Mac won

Con's
You need to reboot each time that you want to run windows. You are also prone to the same security issues as a windows box.

Parallels
Pro's
Acts as a virtualisation layer within the Mac OS, and saves the need to reboot. Runs a full version of Windows and therefore has a high level of compatibility.

Con's
As a virtualisation layer - you get a performance hit on the applications that you are running.

Crossover
Pro's
Acts as a pointer layer within the Mac OS, and saves the need to reboot. Does not require an installation of windows to run and simply "points" the windows applications at where key hardware components reside such as RAM, HDD's etc.

Con's
Since it is not running windows not all windows applications will work under Crossovers.

VMware
Haven't had a play with this as yet ... sorry  Just a white TDV8 with a few extras

honestly for me, the bes tthing to do is to install bootcamp and just run the windows programs there, for example for school i have to use AutoCAD and i tried it on parallels and it wasnt working right and i installed bootcamp and installed CAD under windows and it was fine, the only thing is when ever you want to use a program underwindows you have to restart your mac in order to boot into windows, but that doesnt really bother me... James A. Cadet

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Rupert wrote:

I have Photoshop Elements 5 on my PC, which I'd like to run on the MAC.

Also I have "PhotoPhilia" for the PC & don't think there is a MAC version available.

Basically I have a few windows apps that I’d rather not have to go out & buy the MAC version of, preferring instead to run them up on the MAC.

Go with Bootcamp..... its not virtualisation but instead runs windows directly on the chipset... quick and stable.

Otherwise VMware is probably the next option Brit across the Pond
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DarrenG wrote:

................I can understand your not wanting to buy Mac versions...however I'm an avid photographer and you owe it to yourself to check out Apple's Aperture application, utterly brilliant. And Photoshop Elements for Mac is only £50ish