Parallels Desktop 4 updated

I switched from Parallels to VMWare Fusion, for the usual reasons that everyone cites: Fusion's demonstrably better performance and stability.

I've also found that VMWare doesn't nickel-and-dime you in the same way that Parallels does. Parallels seems to issue a buggy release and then charges you for the next one that fixes those bugs. Not cool.

Spore Creature Creator works on mac mini now using parallels... Pretty bogus they support video on mini in windows, but not in OS X.

Parallels has been working great for me. Version 4 was a step in the right direction. This latest build fixed any issues I had with iSight.

I used to use VMware Fusion, including 2.0, but switched back to Parallels when 4.0 came out. I ran into problems with Fusion where my drive image got corrupted, and none of my Time Machine backups worked. I got very poor support from VMware and the community for the BSODs I was getting with the corrupted image and the broken backups, and thats what drove me to switch back to Parallels. Their support stinks as well, but at least things are working now for me. Given my preferences, I would rather use Fusion, but with the things I ran into, and Fusion's lack of Mac-specific features that Parallels offers, I am reasonably happy with Parallels at the moment. Although I should state I installed this new Parallels update (3810) that you are talking about, and it said my license key was invalid - so i downgraded back to the previous build, and it works like a champ.

Just my $.02.

Rgds,
Mike

**Sorry for the comment above, that was a for an other thread**

About Parallels 4, I just did a gaming test just to see if I could start a game up now. To my big surprise did I manage to start Command & Conquer 3 Kanes Wrath and play a quick 2 player match against the computer and win!
I didn't even try to streamline the process in any way, at the same time I had 8 apps up and running in OS X, which of one of them was a torrent client.
the crazy thing about it is that it was completely playable.
Here are some screenshots:

http://img.skitch.com/20090108-x9mwhqh4e8xf3fiye7x18wewga.jpg
http://img.skitch.com/20090108-2s7xptj3q8hgy8c1pacujtt3f.jpg

I'll put in a vote for Parallels. I needed to get my work PC (XP Pro) running on my Mac, and VMWare, using Converter, only resulted in a VM that gave me frequent, random BSoDs.

Parallels works perfectly, and has been extremely stable. It's fast enough, although I haven't tried 4.0 yet.

I really wish CrossOver would update and support Direct X 9c better. I know it's using wine but I really want to see come changes. I only need windows for 2 things, Causal FPS playing and IE6&7 for web design test. I don't want to install windows for that.
That's why Virtual Box works for me to get ie7 and crossover does TF2 and IE6

#mark
That is not entirely true because Choosy becomes your default browser and therefore it is also pretty great in say NetNewsWire, cause when you control-click a link you can those "Open Link In Default Browser" and this is now Choosy, which I find pretty useful!
But when that's said I think there is a lot of room for development for this thing, but for now I think it's pretty nifty!

Sounds like everyone is fairly consistent in their preference for VMware. Too bad my company bought me parallels instead... Ah well, I guess I can't really complain, but I wont drop cash on an update if I'm going to have to eventually switch.

Nope.. neither runs games well at all. Crossover Games doesn't do horribly with Half-Life 2 type games, but still not great.

I prefer VMWare Fusion to Parallels. I have tried all the versions of Parallels from 2 on up to 4 and have been with VMWare from 1 to 2. VMWare is a much more solid product. It supports Windows 7 Beta flawlessly. No Aero support, but the fact that their drivers work without a hitch in a beta OS is proof that they have their act together. Parallels 4 is better, but they really need to step it up in the compatibility game. Parallels is constantly crashing for me with Vista and XP (haven't tried Windows 7 on it), and that's unacceptable... especially when I have a great copy of Fusion that works so well.

That's my .02, and I'm sure others have their opinions and find that Parallels is better than Fusion.. but those haven't been my findings. I'll keep trying Parallels though, and maybe one day I'll shell out the cash for it.