As OSX becomes increasingly popular, many PC users have been adopting Apple products, especially as the company releases innovative new laptops such as the MacBook Air. As a result of the shift, however, many former PC users find that some of their programs (and files) don’t yet operate natively on OSX. As a result, there are a number of virtual options to run Windows on your Mac:
Boot Camp
This Apple-produced software allows you to run Windows on your Macintosh OSX-based computer with a disk restart. The primary advantage of Boot Camp is that your machine will be dedicated to your Windows Apps; however, the software does not allow you to run XP or Vista in conjunction with OSX as the following virtual applications do.
VMWare Fusion
Designed for home and business use, Fusion allows you to run Windows and OSX simultaneously, either on the same monitor or separated across different screens. With integrated support for multi-tasking, you can easily switch between operating systems, and can even utilize built in Windows features such as DirectX graphics support.
Parallels Desktop
The leading Windows virtualization products, Parallels is on its fourth generation product, and is the software of choice for home or enterprise-level users. Designed for optimal speed, the software provides seamless integration along with advanced security features that help protect your virtual installation. With easy installation, energy efficient management, as well as support for a wide variety of hardware formats, include the iPhone, over a million worldwide users rely on Parallels.
