windows best solution

[jamesradha]

I have a new Apple iMAC Core 2 Duo 2 GHz - 20" TFT. I bought it because I have to run quickbooks on windows so my accountant, who works on a PC, can have access to my accounts easily.

I'm needing some advice on the best solution to run windows quickbooks on the intel. I have found 4 possibilities - bootcamp, crossover, parallels and VMware Fusion.

I'd rather not have to reboot to move between windows and OS and I won't be running any other window app besides quickbooks.

What are people finding is the easiest solution? the user of this computer is not so savvy.

 

[Nugget]

Either Parallels or VMWare will both be quite suitable for running quickbooks. I think you're spot on about BootCamp. Dual booting is a pain in the ass and should only be tolerated if you absolutely need the performance that comes from running Windows "native" on the hardware. For quickbooks you don't need it.

You didn't mention how much RAM you had. If you've got 1GB I think you'll find that adding more memory to your iMac might make the Parallels or VMWare experience much nice. 2GB is better and more always helps. Running virtual machines is a memory-intensive process.

Crossover is largely a waste of time when it comes to Intuit products.

 

[Britanium]

I have a new Apple iMAC Core 2 Duo 2 GHz - 20" TFT. I bought it because I have to run quickbooks on windows so my accountant, who works on a PC, can have access to my accounts easily.

I'm needing some advice on the best solution to run windows quickbooks on the intel. I have found 4 possibilities - bootcamp, crossover, parallels and VMware Fusion.

I'd rather not have to reboot to move between windows and OS and I won't be running any other window app besides quickbooks.

What are people finding is the easiest solution? the user of this computer is not so savvy.

Umm, you can run Quickbooks on Apple, in OSX - I do. If you went this way, you wouldn't have to run Windows...

 

[Nugget]

Umm, you can run Quickbooks on Apple, in OSX - I do. If you went this way, you wouldn't have to run Windows...

QuickBooks for Mac (much like Quicken for Mac) is only a pale reflection of the Windows version. This is even more of a problem if cross-platform file sharing is a factor, as jamesradha said it would.

Not a recommended solution, particularly in this instance.

 

[jablko]

Boot camp is just about useless to me unless I'm playing games because it's so much of a hassle to reboot.

Both Fusion and Parallels have their advantages, but I personally think Fusion is better. It's much, much faster, often twice as fast as Parallels.

Crossover is no where near the league of Parallels or Fusion since it's just DarWine with a better UI. It only works with some software and the site lists most versions of Quickbooks as "untested." If it does work, it will be slightly faster than Fusion, if it doesn't, you're out of luck. DarWine is the free option and you can see if it works (and if it works in DarWine, it will work in Crossover). However, Fusion would be the best bet if you don't mind spending a little money.

 

[72930]

I recommend trying the trial of Crossover, and if it doesn't work, get VMWare Fusion

 

[mlcolorado]

I have a new Apple iMAC Core 2 Duo 2 GHz - 20" TFT. I bought it because I have to run quickbooks on windows so my accountant, who works on a PC, can have access to my accounts easily.

I'm needing some advice on the best solution to run windows quickbooks on the intel. I have found 4 possibilities - bootcamp, crossover, parallels and VMware Fusion.

I'd rather not have to reboot to move between windows and OS and I won't be running any other window app besides quickbooks.

What are people finding is the easiest solution? the user of this computer is not so savvy.

The best Windows on Mac Solutions are these:

1. VmWare Fusion: Run windows at the same time as Mac OS X.
2. Parallels Desktop for Mac: Same as VmWare. Personally, I use Parallels and I think it is fast and works great with a lot of features.
3. Boot Camp: Boot into windows at native speed. That can be a + for many people, but it is tedious to reboot from Windows back into mac and vice versa all the time.
4. Wine (DarWine): As one of the previous posters had stated, CrossOver is OK when programs are tested but most programs don't work with CrossOver Mac.