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Parallels - Buy from App store or site?
- Thread starter VTGuy79
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The App Store version is not the full product. You should buy from the Parallels website. Differences are here: https://kb.parallels.com/123796
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Note that "one time purchase" leads to subscription as the press to need the new version with each annual macOS update pretty much demands "one time purchase" every year. In effect, it is an annual subscription if you want to keep it going (else, you need to cling to the older macOS version to keep the old version of Parallels functional).
I opted to just buy a dedicated Mac-Mini-like PC for all my Windows needs: old-fashioned bootcamp. That actually is a one-time purchase and it delivers full Windows vs. less-reliable ARM Windows. For much less than the cost of a new iPhone, one can get a pretty robust mini PC that should cover all Windows needs for 5+ years with no issues. Full Windows will run everything Windows. ARM Windows will typically run the mainstream apps but it can get pretty iffy if you need to run anything not so mainstream that has not been updated specially for ARM Windows. Some apps won't run at all.
I opted to just buy a dedicated Mac-Mini-like PC for all my Windows needs: old-fashioned bootcamp. That actually is a one-time purchase and it delivers full Windows vs. less-reliable ARM Windows. For much less than the cost of a new iPhone, one can get a pretty robust mini PC that should cover all Windows needs for 5+ years with no issues. Full Windows will run everything Windows. ARM Windows will typically run the mainstream apps but it can get pretty iffy if you need to run anything not so mainstream that has not been updated specially for ARM Windows. Some apps won't run at all.
You can't buy the upgrade? I have a bunch of mini i5 desktops to run Windows, I just liked the idea of running "Advanced Renamer" in Windows that I have a license for and dragging my files to that VM and renaming then dragging back. I haven't found a good replacement for that application yet.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
You can buy the annual upgrade for about the same price as a brand new install each year: usually about $40-$70 depending on when one buys and from what "special deal" it can be found (direct from them or third party).
As to sharing with the Windows functionality for that favored app, I use a Synology NAS to share files back and forth on my network. Both Silicon Mac and Windows PC can access the same set of of folders. Anything that needs to be done on the PC gets done and the file is saved into a shared folder(s). Anything to be done with that file/folders on the Mac taps it in those shared folders. So this way is now quite the direct drag & drop you covet but working through a third-party intermediary (drag into the sinology shared folder, drag out of sinology onto Mac (and vice versa)).
I chose a monitor that could be shared by both computers too. It has a built in hub. I could plug in a bit of USB storage cross formatted as maybe EXFAT and do the same locally sharing files back and forth across platforms through that common ground storage. I just happened to already have and use that Synology NAS, so that is the way I share files across systems.
The ultra-wide monitor will let me split screen so I can have BOTH Mac and PC on screen at the same time... and the built-in hub will even let one keyboard and mouse control both. So it feels very much like how I remember my own Parallels days.
I simply don't trust ARM Windows to deliver the broad Windows compatibility I desire for client work. If I can keep it to fairly mainstream apps and/or apps known to be updated for ARM Windows, that would be different. But it only takes one app to spoil that party. As soon as I knew I was embracing Silicon Mac, I knew I needed a dedicated PC again. And that influenced choice of monitor: one that could work with both without swapping cables.
As to sharing with the Windows functionality for that favored app, I use a Synology NAS to share files back and forth on my network. Both Silicon Mac and Windows PC can access the same set of of folders. Anything that needs to be done on the PC gets done and the file is saved into a shared folder(s). Anything to be done with that file/folders on the Mac taps it in those shared folders. So this way is now quite the direct drag & drop you covet but working through a third-party intermediary (drag into the sinology shared folder, drag out of sinology onto Mac (and vice versa)).
I chose a monitor that could be shared by both computers too. It has a built in hub. I could plug in a bit of USB storage cross formatted as maybe EXFAT and do the same locally sharing files back and forth across platforms through that common ground storage. I just happened to already have and use that Synology NAS, so that is the way I share files across systems.
The ultra-wide monitor will let me split screen so I can have BOTH Mac and PC on screen at the same time... and the built-in hub will even let one keyboard and mouse control both. So it feels very much like how I remember my own Parallels days.
I simply don't trust ARM Windows to deliver the broad Windows compatibility I desire for client work. If I can keep it to fairly mainstream apps and/or apps known to be updated for ARM Windows, that would be different. But it only takes one app to spoil that party. As soon as I knew I was embracing Silicon Mac, I knew I needed a dedicated PC again. And that influenced choice of monitor: one that could work with both without swapping cables.
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Have you looked at the built in functionality in macOS? You can batch rename files right in Finder. There's also this, in case you haven't seen it: publicspace.net/ABetterFinderRename/
That is an option...
There's a couple of options that I'll look at testing.
Yes, it's not as advanced as I need. I'll look at the BetterFinderRename as well.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Really, it can come down to what Windows apps you want to run. If there is ONE app you want to run (or will want to run) that won't work well on ARM Windows, you'll need to probably allocate at least one of those existing computers as a true Windows PC. You've basically got it easy since you already own available PCs. Just allocate one and come up with a good way to let both Mac and PC share a screen if you don't have available screens laying around too.
Then, it's just a simple way to share some storage so both platforms can quickly access the files edited on the other platform. A NAS is a great option for this but even portable storage formatted as EXFAT will do the trick nicely too.
While it wasn't my original intent, I've found Windows 11 to be quite nice and any traditional Intel Mac apps that haven't jumped to Silicon and have versions for Windows have become some additional apps I just run on the Windows PC. Basically: "best tool for the job" philosophy. I know from history of Rosetta 1 that some apps will NOT migrate to Silicon when Rosetta 2 is killed, so may as well prepare for that inevitability by getting some of those apps going on their native hardware platform (X86 Intel).
Before Apple went Intel, it was the same: Mac + PC with some ways to share files. While Apple was using Intel, it was tremendously nice to have BOTH full platforms inside of single cases. Now that we are back to forked systems, the old way of separate systems seems superior to trying to get by with emulation (at least to me). I know full Windows will run everything. There's plenty of non-mainstream that ARM Windows will not quite run... if at all.
Then, it's just a simple way to share some storage so both platforms can quickly access the files edited on the other platform. A NAS is a great option for this but even portable storage formatted as EXFAT will do the trick nicely too.
While it wasn't my original intent, I've found Windows 11 to be quite nice and any traditional Intel Mac apps that haven't jumped to Silicon and have versions for Windows have become some additional apps I just run on the Windows PC. Basically: "best tool for the job" philosophy. I know from history of Rosetta 1 that some apps will NOT migrate to Silicon when Rosetta 2 is killed, so may as well prepare for that inevitability by getting some of those apps going on their native hardware platform (X86 Intel).
Before Apple went Intel, it was the same: Mac + PC with some ways to share files. While Apple was using Intel, it was tremendously nice to have BOTH full platforms inside of single cases. Now that we are back to forked systems, the old way of separate systems seems superior to trying to get by with emulation (at least to me). I know full Windows will run everything. There's plenty of non-mainstream that ARM Windows will not quite run... if at all.
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That list makes zero sense as I can do literally everything that's check marked on the right side with the App Store version. Maybe it's because I bought the app from the Parallels website and just sign into the app with my Apple ID?
I'm glad I went that route then. The other version sounds completely and utterly useless.
Oh yeah, Carbon Copy Cloner has some really deep Mac integration -- way too much for the App Store I bet.
You could use that credit for iCloud services like Music, iCloud Drive space, or to rent/buy content like movies.