Tips to use Windows on a Mac
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Although some of us prefer Macintosh computers, the fact is that a lot more people use Windows computers, especially in businesses and other large organizations. This means that more applications are available for Windows computers, and sometimes an application you have to run is only available for Windows computers. The good news for Mac users is that with Mac OS X Lion, you can run the Windows OS and the Mac OS on the same computer, getting the best of both words.
There are two ways you can run the Windows OS and applications on a Mac: Boot Camp and Virtualization.
Boot Camp is the Apple technology that transforms Mac hardware into a fully capable Windows PC. You can choose to boot up your Mac in the Mac OS or in Windows. When you boot up in Windows, your Mac becomes a fully functional Windows PC.
The strenghts of Boot Camp include great performance (your Mac can out perform many laptops designed to run Windows only), maximum compatibility for hardware and software, and a lower cost because your only expense is a copy of Windows. A minor downside is that sharing data between the two operating systems can b e a bit more complicated because they can’t be running at the same time. You also have to restart your computer to switch between the operating systems.
Under virtualization, an application provides a virtual environment (also called a virtual machine) in which you install and run Windows. You install the virtualization application and then install a version of Windows in a virtual machine. When you want to run Windows, you launch the virtualization application, and within its windows you run Windows and Windows applications.
Using a virtual approach has a number of benefits, including being able to run Windows and the Mac OS at the same time because the virtualization software is just another application running on your Mac, good performance (it isn’t usually noticeably slower than running it under Boot Camp), and easy data sharing because the Mac OS and Windows are running at the same time.
Virtualization does have two points against it. One is the cost of the virtualization software. The other is that a virtual approach might not be compatible with all the hardware and software you want to run. Although I’ve described these as two options, if you chose a virtualization application, you can use both options and switch between them easily.
To run Windows on a Mac, you have to purchase a full copy of Windows 7 to install, whether you use Boot Camp or a virtualization application (or both); you can’t use an upgrade (unless of course, you’ve previously installed a version of Windows on your Mac). The cost for this varies, depending on the version of Windows you purchase and how you purchase it. When you purchase Windows, try to get a version that is designed for builders, also called the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) version.
This version is significantly less expensive than the full retail version and is ideal for installing Windows on a Mac.
There are various types of Windows 7, such as Home, Professional, and other categories between which the differences are somewhat difficult to understand. For most Mac users running Windows as a second operating system, the Home version is likely to be sufficient. However, you should compare the versions to make sure one doesn’t offer something you need to have; see http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/ compare for Microsoft’s explanations of the differences.
After you have a copy of Windows 7, you’re ready to install it. I recommend that you configure Boot Camp even if you end up using virtualization. This gives you the option of running Windows in Boot
Camp and, after you obtain and install a virtualization program, under a virtual machine as well.
ARTICLE YOU MIGHT BE INTRESTED
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
INSTALL WINDOWS IN BOOTCAMP TO RUN ON MAC
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
TIPS ON BOOTCAMP TO RUN WINDOWS
The post Why you should use Windows on a Mac appeared first on Tech Bit N Byte.