[geeks] Whats the verdict - vmware fusion or parallels?

[Jonathan C. Patschke]

On Wed, 15 Aug 2007, Jonathan Groll wrote:

> So whats the verdict on the geeks list, since many of the readers of
> this list are also apple geeks -
>
> Which one is more worth your $80 - vmware fusion or parallels?

I've had good experience with both.  Parallels kernel-panicked my system
frequently in the early releases (not betas, releases) but eventually
got better (although not 100%).  Sometime before the last release, they
made some UI changes that I really dislike.  You can no-longer build up
a VM from scratch (ie: start blank and add just the hardware you want to
emulate); you're forced through their wizard which makes the irritating
assumption that you're going install software from CD immediately
afterwards and that you're going to want full USB support and sound and
other things.

I realize this is a reasonable assumption for "normal" users (even if it
isn't for me), but there should still be a way around it.

VMware started out with really crap performance but has gotten at least
as good as Parallels.  The emulated hardware is a little more common, so
you'll probably have better luck getting software to run that isn't
officially supported.   Also, as an added bonus, you can build up your
VMs in -vi- (they're just text config files), or, as I often do, build
them up under VMware server, move them onto my Mac, work with them,
and move them elsewhere.  VMware also has support for VNC console
access, which is a huge win for me, since I tend to have a large number
of VMs open, and would rather not have that many console windows
staring back at me, especially when most of those systems only get
accessed via the network.

VMware is also the only ticket in town if you want to run 64-bit VMs
(though you will need a Mac that boots OS X in 64-bit mode).  I also
don't think Parallels will boot from a network port; VMware will.

I really had high hopes for Parallels.  When it came out, it had a
wonderfully unintrusive UI, excellent performance, and did everything I
needed.  However, since then, they've added useless (to me) fluff and
made the UI something I need to wrestle with.  VMware Fusion has really
grown up, and I've found myself slowly migrating my VMs from Parallels
to VMware.

> Finally, all my beta vmware fusion licenses have expired, and I'm
> about to purchase a parallels license, which for me seems to have
> better boot camp and cut-and-paste support. However, I still have
> nagging doubts about purchasing parallels - will they release a new
> cut price version with Leopard, also parallels subjectively seems to
> use more CPU than fusion.

I wouldn't bet on either VMware or Parallels doing anything that
coincides with Leopard's release outside of a mad scramble to get their
software working after Apple possibly breaks whatever assumptions they
make that let them take over VT.

-- 
Jonathan Patschke     )
Elgin, TX            (      "I detest logging filesystems."
USA                   )                    --Linus Torvalds