Soon to be Switcher VPC Ques

[efoto]

My only real interest for getting VPC would be to use a French language program with the Mac (that I will purchase after MWSF in Jan).

Just curious if VPC can run ANY win based program through the Mac and if there are any limitations to it. I know graphic intensive stuff does not run as smoothly, and I have read over the features on Micro's website, but some realworld experiences would be greatly appreciated.


BTW: I searched for forums for VPC and only found a couple of threads...neither were related.

 

[Solafaa]

I should run anything but i once tryed to use a game on it and it did not work, i would not recommend you use anything that use a lot of CUP power.

 

[jeremy.king]

From what I understand, it will run *most* win32 programs without problems (although slowly)

I have used VPC 5 to successfully run
Office 2000, IE, FireFox, and a few teacher related programs for grading, making crosswords and wordfinds - all on windows 98 SE

 

[dvdh]

I run AutoCad 2000 on VPC7/XP. I wouldn't call it quick, but it is usable (running on a G3/900 with 640 Mb of RAM). BTW, I wouldn't even think about trying to do anything that is 3D. VPC doesn't make very good use of the graphics card.

 

[cleo]

I just jumped into the VPC lifestyle (heh) last weekend; my mom needed an accounting program that's not available for Mac. A couple tips to make the process easier:

1. RAM, RAM, and more RAM. She has 768 MB in a 800 Mhz G4, and VPC runs at 233 Mhz. The more RAM you have, the more hair you'll have left after using it.

2. Be sure to update VPC before you do anything -- the boxed version is 7, but 7.01 has been released and fixes a LOT of bugs, particularly with USB devices, including printers. (I found out the hard way.)

3. You said the program you want to run is French-language; is it heavy on the audio? (As in, a "learn-to-speak-French" app"?) Because audio is very choppy from VPC, which may or may not cause you grief.

Good luck to you!

 

[varmit]

VPC baically runs a full pc inside your mac. But the capabilities of the pc is slim due to the different processor types, PC being X86 and Mac PPC. It can run anything but if the program is very processor intensive, or graphic intensive, you will a slow down. I have it running Windows Xp on my parents G5 1.6 iMac, and Windows 2000 on my Quicksilver Powermac. I mainly use it to check my webpages that I design, but I have also used it in some other nitch programs for drawing out manufacturing processes, then running them. Your program should work just fine. If you have bought a Windows OS already at the store, you can opt for just the VPC which is cheaper without getting another Windows bundled with VPC. I got Windows through my college so I never had to buy it.

 

[efoto]

3. You said the program you want to run is French-language; is it heavy on the audio? (As in, a "learn-to-speak-French" app"?) Because audio is very choppy from VPC, which may or may not cause you grief.

It is a Learn-to-Speak program that is rather heavy on the audio. I know most of it, however I will be in France for three months on business and figured it would be a nice to have said software with me if I could.

So I actually have to purchase VPC and then also purchase the WinOS I want to use as well!?
So basically comes down to installing VPC, then installing the WinOS, then finally using the WinApp?

So how much space does VPC and the WinOS take up on a HD? (I want to do this on a PB but don't want to waste 10Gb on a single French program

 

[jeremy.king]

So I actually have to purchase VPC and then also purchase the WinOS I want to use as well!?

You can purchase VPC with OR without a version of windows.

So how much space does VPC and the WinOS take up on a HD? (I want to do this on a PB but don't want to waste 10Gb on a single French program

As much or little that you want to give it. I have mine set rather low at 1000 MB.

 

[Bern]

As much or little that you want to give it. I have mine set rather low at 1000 MB.

How have you got it to 1000MB? After installing VPC 7 and XP Home the installation uses around 5GB. VPC 7 in Applications folder is 63MB and Virtual PC List in User/Documents is 4.7GB.

 

[jeremy.king]

How have you got it to 1000MB? After installing VPC 7 and XP Home the installation uses around 5GB. VPC 7 in Applications folder is 63MB and Virtual PC List in User/Documents is 4.7GB.

(a) using VPC 5
(b) running Windows 98 SE

 

[jeremy.king]

(a) using VPC 5
(b) running Windows 98 SE

Actually the footprint I am using is smaller than 1GB. I think I set my VPC drive to expand as needed or something like that.

 

[Makosuke]

So basically comes down to installing VPC, then installing the WinOS, then finally using the WinApp?

Yep, that's the process, although if you buy one of the VPC bundles it'll automatically install Windows for you when you install VPC.

It should work with the audio depending on how well the program is written (I used to use VPC5 to play small videos in WMP on a DP533 G4, and it actually played smoothly).

That said, surely there are some Mac-native learn French programs available that you could use instead. Buying and installing VPC for a single language app seems like massive overkill, particularly considering its cost.

 

[Bern]

Actually the footprint I am using is smaller than 1GB. I think I set my VPC drive to expand as needed or something like that.

I reinstalled XP Home without SP2 this time and reduced it from 4.7GB to 1.18GB

 

[efoto]

That said, surely there are some Mac-native learn French programs available that you could use instead. Buying and installing VPC for a single language app seems like massive overkill, particularly considering its cost.

I have not spent much time looking for other language apps, however the one I purchased received decently high ratings, which is why I went with it. If there are some Mac native language programs, I would definitely be interested in those however, so feel free to share if you know of some

1.18Gb I can live with...I would personally really hate to devote 5+Gb of space to M$ stuff

 

[wordmunger]

I have transparent language's French Now, which I used to brush up on my french for a trip there last summer. It's a pretty good program, though the examples get a little repetitive. I don't know how it would be for a beginner: it's a language immersion tool, so it just plunges you right in to dialogue.

However, language teachers suggest that immersion learning is probably the best way to learn a language. This particular software came recommended by the chair of the French Department at Davidson College, so it is definitely well-respected.

 

[efoto]

I assume that this Transparent Language Immersion program is Mac platform compatible??

I have been taking a few basic lessons from a co-worker here whose husband is French and she speaks it fluently. I have found (after having a few lessons with her) that actually speaking between us is much more benefical, especially for memorization, than just reading over things and 'learning' the words. Obviously some booktime is required for congugation rules and vocabulary, however I can see already that speaking is much better than reading alone.