Looking for Mac software recommendations...

[WildWestDesigns]

VM doesn't use the graphics card, it's simulated so when I tried Parallels with Artcam, every time I used a carving tool the screen would go blank.

Not necessarily due to the lack of using the graphics card. I've seen issues with people using Parrallels and using it in coherence mode and certain digitizing software. I'm not saying that's the issue here, but there have been known quirks in that particular VM software when using certain modes and how they accomplish suppressing the desktop. Now, that may not be the same issue across all VM software. I know I can use Seamless Mode in VBox on a Linux host and no issues with the same digitizing software.

Also, if you had 2 video cards, you can actually pass one to the VM as well, so there is direct access that way. Now depending on what Mac we are talking about, may have to look at eGPU versus just throwing another GPU in the box.

 

[Sandman]

Not necessarily due to the lack of using the graphics card. I've seen issues with people using Parrallels and using it in coherence mode and certain digitizing software. I'm not saying that's the issue here, but there have been known quirks in that particular VM software when using certain modes and how they accomplish suppressing the desktop. Now, that may not be the same issue across all VM software. I know I can use Seamless Mode in VBox on a Linux host and no issues with the same digitizing software.

Also, if you had 2 video cards, you can actually pass one to the VM as well, so there is direct access that way. Now depending on what Mac we are talking about, may have to look at eGPU versus just throwing another GPU in the box.

I should have mentioned that it was quite a few years ago that I tried both Parallels and VM Fusion and back then I found out that neither one could use the video card. I even talked to a parallels tech. I’m sure they’ve improved it since but windows works just as well with bootcamp on my Mac as it does on any other PC so there's no real need for me to try anything else.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I should have mentioned that it was quite a few years ago that I tried both Parallels and VM Fusion and back then I found out that neither one could use the video card.

Depending on how long ago that translates to, it might not have been available period on any of the platforms. It's fairly recently with Vbox as well.

Typically, there is an error msg that usually results when a program has a conflict with a video card. I know Blender, Natron and Krita can have issues due to no OpenGL support on most VM drivers. Natron has a work around, but Blender and Krita just close (this may have changed with Krita 4.0, I don't know). That work around that Natron has will probably be used on Mac if the remove OpenGL support since they announced deprecating it (which they have a woefully outdated version in support as it is and they aren't supporting Vulkan).

I’m sure they’ve improved it since but windows works just as well with bootcamp on my Mac as it does on any other PC so there's no real need for me to try anything else.

There are a few things that I worry about dual booting. They may not happen, on some things, the risk may be very low, but as long as the host machine is properly spec'ed, I would use a VM over dual booting. But if it works and there are no problems, go for it. It gets the job done. That's all that matters in the end.

 

[Sandman]

There are a few things that I worry about dual booting. They may not happen, on some things, the risk may be very low, but as long as the host machine is properly spec'ed, I would use a VM over dual booting. But if it works and there are no problems, go for it. It gets the job done. That's all that matters in the end.

I've been dual booting for 9 years on my Mac Pro without a problem. I only use Windows for 2 bowling programs, Quickbooks, Illustrator to fix boo boo's I've made using Illustrator on the Mac side and Artcam. Usually don't have to reboot more than once or twice a day so it isn't really a problem. All the programs would work fine in VM except for Artcam.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I've been dual booting for 9 years on my Mac Pro without a problem.

What version are you dual booting? Just based on years, either Vista or 7, but you may have upgraded to 8.1 or 10, I dunno. Win 10, it's not quite as easy to dual boot. Have to finagle some extra things.

I only use Windows for 2 bowling programs, Quickbooks, Illustrator to fix boo boo's I've made using Illustrator on the Mac side and Artcam.

How old are the versions of Ai? I think both have parity with each other for a long time. I can't really imagine why you would have to go to the Win side of things, unless these programs have some age on them, when Ai on Win was different from Ai on Mac.

 

[Sandman]

What version are you dual booting? Just based on years, either Vista or 7, but you may have upgraded to 8.1 or 10, I dunno. Win 10, it's not quite as easy to dual boot. Have to finagle some extra things.
I’m dual booting Win 7. I started with XP. I knew Win 8 stunk. I’m a manager for a bowling association so I have to run their program for membership and fees. Their pyogrsm was not ready for Win 10 and was not ready while Win 10 was free. Turned out to be a blessing considering the problems with dual booting with Win 10. At my age I will have no problem staying with my current set up. As far as AI, I am running the latest CC version. The subscription allows for 2 computers so I put a Win version on boot camp. I’ve used illustrator to design since version 1.1 on a Mac SE with the little 9 inch b&w screen. So I still design all my signs on my Mac Pro in Illustrator. I usually just save my file as eps and put it on a usb drive when I’m going to bring the design into Artcam. I put my second copy of AI on windows since I can access the Macintosh files from windows and vice versa so if I forget something I can open the Macintosh AI file while in windows. I mainly use Mac AI because my font selection on the Mac is much better after 36 years in the business.



How old are the versions of Ai? I think both have parity with each other for a long time. I can't really imagine why you would have to go to the Win side of things, unless these programs have some age on them, when Ai on Win was different from Ai on Mac.