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Walt Mossberg: Fusion Edges out Parallels
by , 12:50 PM EDT, October 2nd, 2008
Walt Mossberg, at All Things Digital, has been working with VMware's Fusion virtualization system for the Mac for two weeks and has found some features that edge out Parallels Desktop.
Mr. Mossberg started by explaining the history of Boot Camp and how it differs from the virtualization software and went on to comment abut the first such virtualization program for Macs, Parallels Desktop.
Both US$80 programs have similar features and both have an integrated mode in which the Windows desktop can be suppressed and both Mac and Windows apps can run on the Mac OS X desktop. Both have full screen mode.
However, Mr. Mossberg found that the new Fusion 2.0 has some features that Parallels lacks.
- Fusion can take snapshots of the guest OS at timed intervals.
- It can completely customize keyboard commands.
- It can exploit multiple monitors.
- It uses the more modern and capable DirectX Windows graphics. That allowed Mr. Mossberg to access Microsoft's Worldwide telescope which cannot be accessed under Parallels.
- It seems to place less stress on the host Mac OS X.
Observer Comments
I own both Parallels and VMWare. With every new VMWare release I try using it. I really want to like VMWare, since it can run OS X Server and supports Linux a lot better than Parallels. However, Parallels still feels a lot smoother & generally nicer when running Windows (I use XP, not Vista).
Parallels will start up automatically in Coherence, but VMWare still has problems switching in and out of Unity. With Fusion 2.0 I've seen the VMWare tools quit several times which would make it unable to switch to Unity without rebooting Windows. The main application I use in Windows is Visual Studio Team Server for source control. I check out source to my Mac's home folder which I map as a shared drive under Windows. Parallels will let me check out to it with no problems, but every version of Fusion, including 2.0, has always given some error when checking out files.
Even with the latest version, Parallels' Coherence still looks a lot nicer and feels more natural than VMWare's Unity. With VMWare I often see redraw problems, plus it won't switch to Unity until after it finishes booting and VMWare tools start up.
I thought about switching and VMWare just is not as intuitive to parallels.. admittedly I've been a parallels user since b3 but version 5008 does very well in XP and office 2007.
For the comment on migrating away from windows I reply.
Excel on the mac (any manufacturer) can't hold a candle to Excel 2007
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