New iMac 27" i7 - Impressions and Virtualization Question

[Star4Ever]

This last weekend I bit the bullet, put a pile of Bens on the counter, and walked out of the Apple Store with a top of the line iMac 27" with the high end video adapter, 1TB drive and 8GB memory and wireless mouse and keyboard.

The system rocks, is very quite, blazing fast and a real joy to use.

I ask your opinion(s) on which virtualization software I should use to run Quicken Premier and one other financial package (Fund Manager) which are Windows XP based....

I use these two Windows softwares only once per day during weekdays.
They need to gain access to the internet to updated stock and fund prices and print on a networked printer (attached to an Airport Extreme on my wireless LAN). Note no GAMES or other applications that demand specialized hardware support or demands.

(as background, the true LACK of financial software on the Mac platform is just criminal. The Quicken for MAC software is a cruel joke and iBank is way to strange for me)

One of my criteria for a virtualization software package is that when I am not using the Windows applications, the virtualization software will not compromise my iMac system in terms of speed.

I also do not want to have to dual boot to invoke the Windows application(s) but would rather like to click on something in the dock or in the apps folder.

So it appears that Parallels may fit these criteria? Your thoughts on this as well as other options I should look into?

Thanks Much

 

[talmy]

Parallels and VMWare Fusion seem to one-upping each other in the virtualization race. I've use Parallels for over 3 years and use it now for what you want (Quicken) as well as some other Windows-only programs. It works fine. Fusion would as well. Both have free trials.

You can keep your Quicken data files in your Mac's file system so it can be easily be backed up with TimeMachine or other program, launch it from a dock icon if you want, and the Windows desktop will remain invisible.

It's the closest you will get to a decent Quicken for Mac, at least not until Intuit gets a clue.

And I agree about the other personal finance programs out there -- I tried them all and found every one lacking one way or another.

 

[After G]

If you have to pay for Windows, you might as well save money on virtualization. Use VirtualBox. http://www.virtualbox.org/

And if you aren't running the virtualized environment, you don't have to worry about the iMac's speed being reduced - with any of the solutions.

 

[Hellhammer]

Try CrossOver, it lets you run Windows apps in OS X. Both, Fund Manager and Quicken Premier should work according to their compatibility list (Quicken, Fund Manager)

 

[Star4Ever]

Thank you all for your feedback, that gives me a few more products to look at! I have used VMware (not Fusion) at work and the feedback from a few Mac users I know indicate that VMware Fusion and Parallels seem to work well with Quicken with no problems.

Is there a sub forum here on MacRumors that is devoted to the virtualization and Windows?

 

[Hellhammer]

Thank you all for your feedback, that gives me a few more products to look at! I have used VMware (not Fusion) at work and the feedback from a few Mac users I know indicate that VMware Fusion and Parallels seem to work well with Quicken with no problems.

Is there a sub forum here on MacRumors that is devoted to the virtualization and Windows?

Windows on the Mac

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