New Mac user - virtualization & boot camp help

[cycler15]

I am a longtime PC user that just got the brand new Macbook. Basically I want to use the Macbook for the following functions:
- Manage music
- Manage pictures
- Internet
- Manage Office documents
- Enter my money using MS Money
- Play PC games

I figure I can use the Mac OS for the following:
- Manage music (iTunes)
- Manage pictures (iPhoto), I currently use Google's Picassa, but I hope iPhoto is just as user friendly
- Internet

I figure I'll need to use either Fusion or Parallels to run Windows for the following since I already have the software and don't want to repurchase:
- MS Money
- MS Office

I figure I need boot camp to run Windows to play PC games that I already have purchased.

Since I'm new to the Mac, which is better... Fusion or Parallels? Any hints/tips on installing both boot camp and either Fusion/Parallels?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[chscag]

Since you want to play Windows games on your new MacBook, it's probably best to use the Boot Camp assistant and install a copy of XP or Vista. Games run best (and some will only run) natively in Windows. Your new MacBook has an integrated nVidia chipset which will give you satisfactory performance with most graphic games.

Likewise, you can use your copy of MS Money and MS Office directly from Windows run from the Boot Camp partition. I would recommend using either Parallels or Fusion but neither does well with games although the new version of Parallels (4.0) supports DirectX9 and OpenGL. You can run Parallels or Fusion and use the Boot Camp partition as a VM, but that sometimes causes problems and usually requires Windows activation twice versus once for stand alone Boot Camp.

Regards.

 

[dizzlemizzle]

you only need parallels/fusion if you want to run windows and os x at the same time...this may be beneficial to you but is not necessary
os x has bootcamp built in which allows you to boot into either one
there is always office for mac you can purchase or use free alternatives like open office