To anyone who has used Parallels/Boot Camp - Please Help

[n00bst3r]

For a long time I have wanted a MBP. Even before it came out I was looking into a PB. I would consider myself a Windows power user. I have had this PC (that I built) since the Athlon 64 first came out (a couple of years at least). In these years I have not had a single Virus Scanner installed on my PC and I have yet to experience a Virus (I will occasionally install AVG just to check). I love the fact that I am in total control of my machine.

When I am on a Mac I don't have the same feeling. Its like I have a ball and chain attached to my ankle. I feel like I am limited to what Steve Jobs wants my computer experience to be like. For this reason I am having serious second thoughts about puchasing a MBP that I have been waiting for Merom (and various other features) to make the jump. I always knew I would run Windows in so form on the system (I'm an engineering major so almost everything I run is Windows only). I have already decided that all of my workflow will be in Windows just because it is much more efficient than OSX, and personally far less frustrating.

So right now the two saving factors are:
1. The MBP is better looking than anything Dell has ATM
2. Windows experience on the system

So what I would like to know is what is the windows experience on a Mac? I am leaning towards Parallels, especially since 3D acceleration is in the works but I am open to any ideas. I would perfer to hear what people have to say about parallels though.

Here are some major concerns:
1. Does it support Right Click?
2. Is it a system hog?
3. Does it mimic that windows experience I need?
4. Also please raise any issues that might hinder the overall experience such as missing features and performance issues.

I really appreciate everyone's help!

 

[robbieduncan]

1. Yes Parallels supports right clicking. Just do it the same way you would in OSX.
2. You need quite a lot of RAM as you are running 2 operating systems and their applications at once. It's fine on my MBP with 2Gb of RAM.
3. ??? You are running Windows so it's just like running Windows!
4. Parallels is getting better all the time with improved USB support and the ability to run on Macs with more than 3Gb of RAM having just been added. If you need to run 64bit Windows or use Windows with more than 3Gb of RAM (allocated to Windows) you will have to wait a bit longer.

 

[n00bst3r]

1. Yes Parallels supports right clicking. Just do it the same way you would in OSX.

If I have a mouse with two buttons, can I right click the normal, and largly perfered way?

 

[Osarkon]

If I have a mouse with two buttons, can I right click the normal, and largly perfered way?

Yes, you can. But as you said you're going to be mainly running windows because it's less frustrating, I fail to see why you want a mac

 

[robbieduncan]

If I have a mouse with two buttons, can I right click the normal, and largly perfered way?

Yes. Even in Mac OSX! Do people really still think that Macs can't support right clicking?

 

[Maxiseller]

I think like everyone else here I'm a little confused...

If you're seriously just going to be using Windows, Parallels is a pointless investment and it is also a pointless waste of time:

It isn't going to be as good as running JUST windows on the laptop which you can do with bootcamp. So if you're serious about running engineering aps on your new Macbook Pro I seriously wouldn't diminish the processing power by keeping Mac OSX in the background. It's just a waste of resources.

Besides which, y'know, Macs are built to run OSX - I'm not sure of the user experience out there for people who run solely windows - but if you buy a Mac, you're going to be investing in the fact that at a whim, Apple could change the whole bootcamp structure facilitating in pointless (re) installations of windows - or will Apple firmware updates affect the running of your Windows?

Who knows, but what I do know is that if you're going to be running XP/Vista exclusively, you should buy an exclusive PC.

 

[generik]

You is no stylo enuff to use Mac

 

[FFTT]

We have countless threads here from PREVIOUS Windows power users who
now barely use Windows for anything unless it's absolutely necessary or for
gaming.

You may want to research available OSX engineering applications to see if there's
something equal or better out there than the applications you are now using.

For CAD design and drawing, check out VectorWorks.

 

[garfield2002]

Like learning anything new, and OS X is not an expection, there will be a learning curve and the accompanying frustration. From your post I assume that you do not yet own a Mac and that your experiences may be limited to the use of OS X on other's machines. Be aware, that a computer is an intensely personal environment, one that you tailor (either conciously or unconciously) to your own workflow and needs. Therefore the use of other people's macs may be making your experience with OS X even more restricting than normal.

"I love the fact that I am in total control of my machine."

I cannot agree with your statement that windows offers more control than OS X as the customizability of OS X is fantastically vast. Some OS X users have desktops and interfaces that are unrecognizable from the stock OS X (Steve Jobs vision). The UNIX underpinnings offer far more control than is imaginable in windows. All of this does take time, and if you have the patience (and or money) you may eventually find that you can be in control of OS X too. Good luck in your decision.