a question about how macs install programs & parallels

[SooTyLaD]

I am getting a mac very soon and am just wondering something...

as far as i can tell, the way programs are installed on mac are very much self contained and very neat (kinda seems like the self contained way java games install on a phone) except for the odd one which goes a bit "windows" on you and you need to use a third party uninstall app... this right?

anyway my second question, is how does it work if you use parallels to install windows? buy doing this does it sacrifice the sublime simplicity of the way the os doesn't get clogged up? or does it self contain the whole windows/parallels as an app in itself? be it a massive one?

i might just use bootcamp if it in anyway is detrimental to the mac side of things, plus i bet it doesnt run as fast being emulated right?

 

[Mr Jones]

I am getting a mac very soon and am just wondering something...

as far as i can tell, the way programs are installed on mac are very much self contained and very neat (kinda seems like the self contained way java games install on a phone) except for the odd one which goes a bit "windows" on you and you need to use a third party uninstall app... this right?

Yup yup, and if the odd one that goes "windows" with you, they usually contain an uninstaller - so just re-run the program installer and it'll deal with it. Or you can try using AppClean and it'll remove all files/related to it - shift them all to trash.

anyway my second question, is how does it work if you use parallels to install windows? buy doing this does it sacrifice the sublime simplicity of the way the os doesn't get clogged up? or does it self contain the whole windows/parallels as an app in itself? be it a massive one?

i might just use bootcamp if it in anyway is detrimental to the mac side of things, plus i bet it doesnt run as fast being emulated right?

Parallel is installed like an App and it will create a file in your Document folder, that "file" will be whatever OS you install. Each OS has its own parallel file, if you don't like it, just delete it. OS gone. To uninstall parallel however, you'll have to run the .dmg again and click uninstall to completely remove it iirc.

I personally use VMWare - been trying it for over 2 weeks now, it works great and feels so much better than Parallel imo. You get a 30day trial, download it and have a tinker before you decide to buy it or not

 

[SooTyLaD]

so is everything you install on that os and EVERYthing you do with it stored in that self contained location?

also, if you use vmware/parallels as opposed to bootcamp, do you need drivers or does it piggyback them from the mac os?

 

[Mr Jones]

I'm not too sure entirely but on VMWare, I just pop in my standard XP Pro SP2 disk in to install and all works like I've installed it on my Windows Desktop system - no need to install any driver. Only thing I installed is under VMware, you can opt to install their software on e.g. XP, which basically allows for more compatibility.

e.g. My Mouse cursor on OS X can drag/drop, click on files running on XP, without making the 2 OS "independent" when it comes to interface and moving files around.

The Wireless on my VMWare XP uses a bridge to use my Wireless.

and *Most* things you install is a simple drag and drop a self contained file/folder of files for that program. Can't think of exceptions off the top of my head now... iirc, Parallel is one of such.

 

[SooTyLaD]

hmm very interesting...

been looking at reviews and demos on youtube of parallels and vmware, and i must say vmware seems to be the one for me, just looks the nuts!

the latest version apparently can work from the boot camp install... but how on earth would that make sense? the boot camp install would need to be using all the native drivers etc, then when you load into mac os x and use vmware, it would need to be using all the virtual drivers which would surely screw everything up??? i would have thought that windows would choke at that every time?