Macs, Virtualization, and Genealogy Software

RandomGenealogy.com has written up a fairly extensive overview of the new Intel-based MacBooks/MacBook Pros, and how they could be of use to those genealogists wanting to switch to Macs, but still hold onto some of their Windows software until they have any and all migration issues sorted out.

You have to understand, this is head and shoulders above previous “Windows on a Mac” software – in this case, Windows has direct access to the Intel hardware and can run very fast. He discusses both options – completly booting Windows by itself with Boot Camp (there probably is no Windows genealogy software that would ever need to have Windows booted by itself), and using a new (and it looks like the only) piece of virtualisation software available – Parallels Desktop. It’s running Windows in a window under Mac OS X (although you can switch to full-screen, you are still running under Mac OS X). It’s not just for Windows either – it’ll handle DOS and other applications written to run on Intel (and AMD) hardware.

It’s interesting, and reasonably priced – if you know of anybody thinking about switching to a Mac, this might be the article to email them.

The article – RandomGenealogy.com

Apple MacBooks

As you may or may not know, Apple has rolled out their iBook replacement, the Apple MacBook, which is based on an Intel CPU. This replaces the iBook series (both the 12-inch and 14-inch), as well as the 12-inch PowerBook. It starts at $1099 US, and surprisingly, it is an Intel Core Duo – that is is, it’s a dual-core CPU – the equivalent of having two CPUs inside of your machine.

They are going with only one display for the MacBook, a “glossy” 13.3-inch widescreen display. It’s also back to being available in more than one color – black or white.

It’s a very powerful machine – even the $1099 model has a 1.83GHz Dual Core CPU. Outside of Apple’s XServers and their PowerMacs (towers), their Intel transition is almost complete, ahead of schedule. These other two series will probably be switched to Intel this fall.

MacPAF Poll – Which Versions of Mac OS X

Logan Allred, the developer of MacPAF, is running a poll about which versions of Mac OS X should be supported under MacPAF:

When I started MacPAF several years ago, Jaguar (10.2) was the current OS, and Panther (10.3) was coming. I decided that I would support 10.1.5 and newer with MacPAF. I’ve intentionally left out many nice features I could add that are only for Jaguar, Panther, or Tiger to allow as many people as possible the opportunity to use MacPAF.

This has led to certain compromises in the design and implementation of MacPAF. I know the majority of you are on a modern version of the OS and will miss these features, but I don’t want to exclude those that are running older versions. There a few members of my own family still running 10.2.8, and I’d prefer not to exclude them, but they are feeling the urge to upgrade as well, and likely will when 10.5 (Leopard) comes out.

I don’t think I’m ready to drop support for 10.2 at this point, but I am considering dropping support for 10.1. I may still release an initial 1.0 version that supports 10.1, but I’m pretty sure after that I’ll move to 10.2.8 as the minimum OS for sure for MacPAF 1.1 and newer unless there’s a strong desire to keep 10.1 support around.

If you are interested in MacPAF, head over and vote in the poll here at Logan’s website.

Virtualization for Mac OS X

The hits keep coming: Parallels.com

It’s here! Parallels is proud to launch the Beta program the first virtualization solution specifically designed to work with Intel-powered Apple computers! Parallels Workstation 2.1 Beta for Mac OS X is NOT simply a “dual-boot” solution; rather, it empowers users the ability to use Windows, Linux and any other operating system at the same time as Mac OS X, enabling users to enjoy the comfort of their Mac OS X desktop while still being able to use critical applications from other OSes.

Driven by full support for dual-core processors and Intel Virtualization Technology (included in almost every new Intel-powered Mac), virtual machines created using Parallels Workstation 2.1 Beta offer near-native performance and rock-solid stability.

Their versions for Linux and Windows cost $50.

Keep in mind this allows you to run Windows inside of Mac OS X – it’s not a “dual-boot” solution like Apple’s ‘Boot Camp’ that came out yesterday, and it’s not limited to Windows XP, but everything from MSDOS/Windows 3.1 all the way up through Windows 98 and XP. It won’t be as fast as the dual-boot option, but for most of your applications, you won’t care.

This makes it extremly easy to get people to switch to Mac OS X – if they just have a few applications they can’t let go of, they can just pop open a window running Windows, access the application, and then exit out, without having to reboot.

Apple Boot Camp – Dual-Boot Windows on Intel Macs

I am still shocked. If I didn’t know better, I’d have to check the calendar to make sure it wasn’t April 1st. Apple has released a new beta product, “Boot Camp”, that will allow you to easily install Microsoft Windows XP on Intel-based Macs. It has a drivers CD for Windows XP, plus the partitioning software, and you basically run the CD, partition your Mac, install Windows XP, and then select which OS you want (normally it will default to one, but you can hold down a key right when it boots to select). This software is going to be a part of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.

This is huge. If you know somebody that is thinking about switching to Macs, but they still have some Windows software they want to run (perhaps an older or proprietary application or some games or whatever), this is a huge incentive to switch, as they can get all of the benefits of using a Mac, while still having a “safety net” if you will. No more “I’d switch, but I have these two applications that I still need to use occasionally”.

The drivers for Windows XP include:
* Graphics
* Networking
* Audio
* AirPort wireless
* Bluetooth
* The Eject key (on Apple keyboards)
* Brightness control for built-in displays

Full Details – www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp

Apple Press Release

Note: If you format the Windows partition FAT32 – you can read and write to it under Mac OS X. If you format it NTFS (if your partition is of a certain size, 32GB or larger, you may need NTFS), you can only read it under Mac OS X. Basically you’ll be able to access your data on your Windows drive while running Mac OS X, which could really help with the switching process.

Note: For discussion/response, please refer to this thread in the forums.

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