Dilemma: Get VMware Fusion 8 for free or pay for Parallels?

[theosib]

I got a new MBP, but I'd still like to keep using my old one too. I need to run Windows in a VM (FPGA programming software and a few other things). It turns out that I can get VMware Fusion 8 for free, but I've been using Parallels for my other VMs.

Option 1: Keep using Parallels. That means I have to put in a purchase order to upgrade to Parallels 11 on the old one and install fresh on the new notebook. This way, I can just keep using my old VMs in addition to new ones.

Option 2: Switch to VMware Fusion 8. I can get one free license, but I have to put in a purchase order for the second one (why is complicated). If I do this, I'll have to find a way to convert my Parallels VMs to VMware.

Option 3: Keep using Parallels on one computer and install VMware on the other. The problem here is that I can't move VMs to an external drive and boot them on either computer.

Can anyone give me advice on which option here to choose?

 

[dyn]

You can always upgrade the VMware license to a Parallels one. The VMware Fusion help has this to say about importing virtual machines from other virtualisation software:

VMware Fusion can import virtual machines created with the following versions of Parallels, Microsoft Virtual PC, or OVF:

• Parallels Desktop for Mac 2.5, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0
• Parallels Server 3.0
• Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac Version 7
• Open Virtualization Format (OVF and OVA) 1.0

I'm not sure if this is up to date. Some portions of the VMware Fusion help have gotten quite out of date.