Need Help Parallels or VMware Fusion?

[jnyreno]

Which would anyone recommend to install on an older Mac (late 2009) to run the latest Flexi. I've already purchased 5 upgrades and want to test it on one of my Macs before I invest in PCs. It also needs to communicate on a network to the plotters.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Most VM software allow for communicating along the network.

Depending on how you set up the network (if it also has WAN access versus just LAN access) could also have some other considerations as well (more from a security one then anything else, at least with me).

I don't use Macs, I use Linux, but they are both Unix-like.

I personally like Virtualbox, which also has an OSX port. Otherwise, Parallels seems to be a popular choice.

One thing to keep in mind (and this applies for all of the VM software), sometimes running things in Coherence, Unity, Seamless (whatever the program calls it) can have undesirable results. I haven't had the issue with Virtualbox, but I know users of one program that I use (statistically not one that you are going to use however) does have a problem with this very thing. If it has happened to one program, it may happen to others, just keep that in mind.

Also, as a word of caution, you run the risk of not getting support from your software vendor running it in a VM (and I can actually understand that) as they want it on direct hardware. Otherwise an issue that they are trying to help you with could be related to a program that they aren't responsible for (the VM software).

Edit to Add:

Is your Mac properly spec'ed out to handle running 2 OSs at the same time? That could also give you a bad experience that might lead to a false conclusion as to how the software is working.

 

[jnyreno]

Thanks for your input. I am aware that Flexi doesn't support VM software but moneys tight right now and it would be great if I could get by for a while this way.

 

[dypinc]

Why don't you just install Windows via Boot Camp on your Mac or do you need to have the Mac OS running as well on that computer?

 

[Mainframe]

I ran parallels for 10 years no problems, finally got a dedicated PC, (Dell all in one) for my VG, best thing ever, networks with the Mac, and runs Versaworks perfectly.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Why don't you just install Windows via Boot Camp on your Mac or do you need to have the Mac OS running as well on that computer?

If you are going to go this route, make sure whatever version of Windows you are going to be using has drivers for that hardware and you can still get those drivers.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Thanks for your input. I am aware that Flexi doesn't support VM software but moneys tight right now and it would be great if I could get by for a while this way.

As long as your rig (and future rigs) can handle the needs of doing it this way, it can be done indefinitely.

 

[jnyreno]

Thanks for the replies and info. Next step is to try different methods out and see which works best. Still though, Parellels or Fusion?

 

[WildWestDesigns]

When I trying out VMWare on a Fedora rig, it seems to be more refined. I liked their version of Unity (Coherence in Parallels; Seamless in Virtualbox) as it seems to be "slicker" then the others.

Fundamentally they all provide the same level of functionality. VMWare makes things far easier, more intuitive compared to the others.

Parallels, which it seems that it is by far the most used VM appliances out there for Mac hosts, is perhaps best "bang for your buck" in the paid for versions.

Either one you can't really go wrong with.

The big question is going to be cost and I would look at it as in how long are you going to be using this or is this just a little blip to try things out and then go a dedicated box for Windows?

If it's just a little blip, I would do Parallels, less cost outlay. I'm a huge fan of Virtualbox as another option for the "blip scenario", but that wasn't one of the ones you were asking about, but that is an option.

 

[jnyreno]

Thanks Evan. I'll take all of this into consideration. Unfortunately I'm not very computer savvy but I haven't let that stop me before. I've been on Macs for 27 years and due to Flexi dropping the software and it's time move over.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Thanks Evan. I'll take all of this into consideration. Unfortunately I'm not very computer savvy but I haven't let that stop me before. I've been on Macs for 27 years and due to Flexi dropping the software and it's time move over.

Sometimes the disruption of changing platforms can do more harm then good if done totally. If it's just one program that is only available on Windows, doing the VM route (while would have some initial pains of getting everything setup and working like you want, especially with worrying about network connectivity and security) would keep from a total change over. Just have to make sure it's something that you want to muddle through to get to working. Otherwise, it would probably be better for a total change over and just deal with that learning curve.

I personally like to use VMs (I have Win 98, Vista, 7 and 8.1 in VMs) when dealing with Windows systems now (especially the rolling release model that they seem to be doing, which is not good for a production environment in my mind), but you do have to have rigs that have the resources to run essentially 2 computers at one time. Otherwise productivity will more then likely tank.

 

[zstekovic]

Parallels all the way. Everything works on MacBook Pro 2017 & 2015.
I tried everything before (VMware, VirtualBox...) and Parallels 13/14 are only one that does not stutter, and actually work without taxing the system.
I have installed: Windows 10, CorelDraw 2018, Flexi Print & Cut 12, Summa Winplot, Adobe CS3 Master.
Backup is done daily with TimeMachine, so I'm safe.
p.s. I loved VirtualBox too.

 

[brycesteiner]

I would go with Parallels as well. I used virtual box for many many years and it was great until this year when the 2018 computers did not support properly and it’s a slow as molasses. A Minute between clicks for it to recognize was too long of a wait . Parallels is supporting the modern architecture’s of metal. We ran Flexi on it with no problem. I had bought a Dell specifically for the purpose of running Flexi but it ran it terribly and had a serious lag when receiving the size of the media from the Mutoh. Ended up going with virtual machines on the Mac and it moves along much faster. I really don’t know why and I really don’t care. It’s also great to be able to transport simply the machine from one computer to another. This is true no matter what the host system is.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I used virtual box for many many years and it was great until this year when the 2018 computers did not support properly and it’s a slow as molasses. A Minute between clicks for it to recognize was too long of a wait . Parallels is supporting the modern architecture’s of metal.

This must be specific to Mac. I've got a mid 2018 testing rig that now runs LM 19.1 and the new 6.0 VB release and it's actually even faster then it was before. Some of the features that were labeled as "unstable" for Windows guests are now "stable".

But if this is an issue with the Mac hosts, definitely go with Parallels if going with newer hardware.

I would suspect it's due to Apple's deprecating of OpenGL and forcing people to use Metal. A lot of open source projects are going to be hit by that that depend on OpenGL (Blender, Krita are the big ones for me), of which VirtualBox does use.

Why I didn't go with Mac after I left Windows as a host OS. Even if my Linux fork of choice removed it, I could put it back in (easily). Not so easy with the others.

We ran Flexi on it with no problem. I had bought a Dell specifically for the purpose of running Flexi but it ran it terribly and had a serious lag when receiving the size of the media from the Mutoh. Ended up going with virtual machines on the Mac and it moves along much faster.

Resources, resources, resources. I have had far better stability with Vista in a VM (even using Aero and the unstable VB 3D graphics driver) then I ever had on bare metal (physical hardware, not the Apple video api mentioned above).

It’s also great to be able to transport simply the machine from one computer to another. This is true no matter what the host system is.

One concern to keep in mind. The VM files are portable (depending on the program, it may not be cross platform though for the host unless convert it to the ova extension), however, when swapping from one computer to the next and that new hardware is "seen" by the guest that wasn't the original, it may "break" the OS install and/or the individual program installs as well.

Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't, but just keep that in mind. Flexi may not be a concern, but it's something to be on the look out for the Windows guest OS.