Purchasing Windows for 2013 MBA

[ShaneBunting]

Hi guys, I want your opinions and knowledge on this if possible.

I have an 11" base MBA 2013. 4GB/128GB/i5

At college, we're starting to use Microsoft Access and Frontpage etc.. Things that AREN'T on the Mac. It doesn't help that we're using the 2003 version at college either - making most native Mac apps even more incompatible.. :S

So I was thinking of buying a copy of Windows 8 (LEGALLY ofc), so 1, where could I get this at the lowest price..

2, What's the best way on a machine to run this? VirtualBox, Paralells, VMware or Boot Camp...

I know one of them allows me to 'merge' Windows with the Mac, but I don't know which. This would be extremely handy.. however running Windows fullscreen/on its own partition would be good too.

Also, I'm a bit feared of partitioning SSDs as partitioning them can affect the 'level' read/writing on them etc..

Plus, with 128GB, the way I install Windows should be thought out with this in mind..

Thanks

 

[Hellhammer]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832416776

Since you only need Windows for Office, I suggest that you run it virtualised (i.e. within OS X). VirtualBox, Parallels and VMWare all let you do that, but I would try VirtualBox first since it's free.

 

[MacDawg]

I have Windows 8.1 running MS Office virtual with Fusion and it works great
I personal wouldn't bother with BootCamp unless you need it for gaming

 

[HE15MAN]

Another vote for Virtual Box

 

[kylera]

See if you can get a free copy of Windows and Office for free through your school's IT department or equivalent. My school for example has volume licenses for most MS products so students and professors can legally download them and use them for schoolwork.

Virtualbox is free, but relatively bare bones compared to paid solutions like VMWare Fusion or Parallels. One vote for VMWare for me.

 

[ShaneBunting]

Our school still uses Windows XP and Office 2003.. it's dreadful lol

 

[Ccrew]

Our school still uses Windows XP and Office 2003.. it's dreadful lol

Yeah, I had to scroll down when you said Front Page, that's been a dead product for years! Saddest part? They're charging tuition to teach this?

 

[ShaneBunting]

I'm in the UK, so it's free to study here after high school.. but yeah! Is it InfoPath now or something?

 

[Ccrew]

I'm in the UK, so it's free to study here after high school.. but yeah! Is it InfoPath now or something?

Infopath is more the Database forms front end. FrontPage replacement was Expression Web, but even that's dying. Pretty much now if you're going to code for the web on a Microsoft platform you're going to want Visual Studio.

Great that past high school it's free. My kid's college at a cheaper in-state school here is $24k annually.