Should you get a Mac or a PC?
How about an Intel Mac? One of the features of Apples new Intel Mac is the ability to run Windows on a Macintosh machine. No longer do you have to decide whether a PC or Mac is better for your lifestyle. You can have both right at your fingertips. How is this possible?
Dual Booting
Old time Mac users will remember the first version of OSX that allowed users to boot their system up in OS9 or OSX. You pre-select which system you would like for your computer to boot up in, and you essentially are running two different computer one with OS 9, the other with OS X. The new Intel Macs will allow you the option of installing Windows onto your computer and booting the system up in the OS of your choosing. Is it a Mac day, or a PC day? You decide. Apple offers software on their website that will allow you to install windows just as you would another Mac OS.
Boot Camp
Boot camp is Apple's answer to running Windows on a mac machine. They don't give you a copy of windows with the program(obviously), but they do give your computer the tools to operate with both operating systems effectively. To run Boot camp you need:
- Mac OS X Tiger v10.4.6
- The latest Firmware update
- 10GB free hard disk space
- An Intel-based Mac
- A blank recordable CD
- A printer for the instructions (You'll want to print them before installing Windows, really.)
- A bona fide installation disc for Microsoft Windows XP, Service Pack 2, Home or Professional (No multi-disc, upgrade or Media Center versions.)
The downside of this is that you can't transfer files between the two different systems. Or can you?
Running Windows As a Virtual Machine
While running OS X, you can set your computer up to run Windows as a virtual machine. Virtual machine? Why would you want to do that? The answer is simple. By running it as a virtual machine you will be able to transfer files back and forth, and essentially use your computer as one computer rather than two separate ones. Right now Apple hasn't put out a program that would effectively run Windows as a virtual machine, so you're relying on non-mac software developers. Some include:
http://www.parallels.com/
http://www.openosx.com/wintel/index.html
http://www.vmware.com/
Emily Price - Emily is a freelance writer and video editor who lives in Raleigh, NC. Obsessed with Macs for years she currently owns both a PowerMac ...
