WINDOWS RETURNS TO THE MACINTOSH
A computer's operating system (OS) is what breathes life into
what would otherwise be just a pile of silicon, metal and plastic.
Itself a complex piece of software, an operating system's main
purpose is to create an environment in which other software
applications can function. The OS performs the so-called
housekeeping functions that let the running software programs access
and utilize the computer's resources such as its hard drive, CD and
printer. The OS of choice these days is Microsoft's Windows. Windows
requires a computer based on the PC platform with microprocessors
made by companies like Intel and AMD along with the supporting
hardware. The other popular personal computing is the Macintosh that
runs Apple Computer's OS X. And while OS X is Apple's most
Windows-friendly OS to date, it won't run Windows applications.
When I say Windows-friendly, I mean that Macs running OS X can
share a network with other Windows-based PCs connected, open many
data files originally created in Windows and things like that. But
any Mac owner who wanted to actually run a Windows application
basically had only one way to do it. The product called Virtual PC
was originally made by a company called Connectix. Virtual PC is a
software emulator that creates and simulates an actual PC
environment within the Mac. This virtual computer within a computer
lets Mac owners run many Windows programs. The catch is that those
Windows programs run a lot slower than when running on an actual PC.
But that limitation aside, Virtual PC did a pretty good job of
running things. That was true until Apple announced their newest G5
line of Macintosh computers.
The G5s are a lot faster then the previous G4 and G3 models and
use the latest PowerPC microprocessor from IBM. But the new G5
processor design left out a crucial component that made the
Connectix version of Virtual PC (up to its latest version 6.1)
virtually useless. It was somewhat ironic that the faster G5
computers that would have been able to run the emulator more quickly
were not able to run the Connectix emulator. Evidently Microsoft
couldn't stand the irony either and bought Connectix in 2003. Since
then they have been feverishly working on a new version of Virtual
PC and I'm happy to say that it has just been released. Virtual PC
for Mac Version 7 now works on the new G5 models as well as the
older Macs. Plus they've added some additional features and have
streamlined the product as well.
The main thrust of Virtual PC 7 is speed. Microsoft wanted to
make Virtual PC 7 the fastest yet and it looks like they have
accomplished that. Compared with the older version 6.1, applications
seems to load and function more quickly. Virtual PC 7 accomplishes
this in part by taking advantage of the Mac's OpenGL graphics
standard. Printing support has been enhanced as well as it requires
no special Windows printer drivers. It uses the printing interface
provided by OS X. I have both an inkjet and laser printer connected
to my Mac and I was able to easily print directly to both of them.
Another nice feature is that the Windows-based applications and the
Windows Start menu appear in the Mac OS X Dock for easy
accessibility.
You can make Windows itself appear in a window on the Finder
desktop or make it fill the entire screen. The former lets you drag
and drop files from one environment to and from the other.
Virtual PC 7 comes in five versions. You can purchase Virtual PC
with Windows XP Professional ($249), with Windows XP Home Edition
($219), or with Windows 2000 Professional ($249). An Upgrade version
($99) allows those with previous Connnectix installations from 5.0
to 6.1 to move into Virtual PC 7. And a Standalone version ($129) is
for those of you who already own a Windows license (Why buy Windows
again if you already own it?)
Virtual PC 7 will work on G3, G4 and G4 model Macs.
www.microsoft.com/mac |
