Windows using with Mac's????

[Hansoon]

Customer has 5 Mac's and needs to have Windows operating system because of his new Merchandising an Accounting System. Is this an option or better get 5pcs dedicated Windows computers right away?

Hans

[bsm2]

Re: Windows using with Mac's????

Customer has 5 Mac's and needs to have Windows operating system because of his new Merchandising an Accounting System. Is this an option or better get 5pcs dedicated Windows computers right away?

Hans

You can use the Mac hardware

[blackcat4866]

Re: Windows using with Mac's????

Are you missing the obvious solution? Buy a couple of inexpensive PC's. =^..^=

[CWP]

Re: Windows using with Mac's????

There are several options that I am aware of:
1/2. VMWare Fusion or Parallels allows windows to run concurrently with the Mac OS. Make sure you have enough memory and HD space and you get the best of both worlds.
3. As BSM states, Mac can run Windows natively using "Bootcamp" that allows both OS's to be loaded, but you have to choose which OS is started and you are solely using that OS until you reboot to the other.
4. Crossover - probably the cheapest of the bunch because you do not need to purchase a licensed version of Windows like you do for the three options above and Crossover is priced reasonably. You would just need to make sure that the Windows program you are trying to run will run within a Crossover container. Crossover uses a Windows emulator which eliminates the need to purchase Windows.

[Hansoon]

Re: Windows using with Mac's????

Are you missing the obvious solution? Buy a couple of inexpensive PC's. =^..^=

You confirmed my personal idea Cat. I believe this would be the most straight solution instead of messing with Mac's. Neither me nor the customer have enough knowledge about Mac Computers. The really do not need not that fancy equipment since they do not have any demands regarding graphic such as architects, web designers graphic designers or CAD/CAM. The are just a plain company doing plumbing work but the owner likes everything fancy American. All kinds of stuff coming from the USA. Not only Mac computers but also fat American cars, country music (lol), Burgers and other American food, Guns you name it......

Thanks

Hans

[guitar9199]

Re: Windows using with Mac's????

There are several options that I am aware of:
1/2. VMWare Fusion or Parallels allows windows to run concurrently with the Mac OS. Make sure you have enough memory and HD space and you get the best of both worlds.
3. As BSM states, Mac can run Windows natively using "Bootcamp" that allows both OS's to be loaded, but you have to choose which OS is started and you are solely using that OS until you reboot to the other.
4. Crossover - probably the cheapest of the bunch because you do not need to purchase a licensed version of Windows like you do for the three options above and Crossover is priced reasonably. You would just need to make sure that the Windows program you are trying to run will run within a Crossover container. Crossover uses a Windows emulator which eliminates the need to purchase Windows.

Only thing I would caution is make sure the Merchandising and Accounting program they're needing will actually RUN in a Windows "Emulator".... Otherwise as earlier suggested, just get one or two Windows PC's and add them to the network. I think that would be the LEAST intrusive option.

[rthonpm]

Re: Windows using with Mac's????

A virtual Windows machine would be a good option in this case since it gives the users the ability to stay in a single operating system, but still connect to another computer for the application they need from the same machine without logging out or any other kind of heroics. I'm surprised that there's no web front end for the programme, since it can't possibly exist on five different workstations with five different sets of data: there has to be some kind of backend somewhere.

[slimslob]

Re: Windows using with Mac's????

A virtual Windows machine would be a good option in this case since it gives the users the ability to stay in a single operating system, but still connect to another computer for the application they need from the same machine without logging out or any other kind of heroics. I'm surprised that there's no web front end for the programme, since it can't possibly exist on five different workstations with five different sets of data: there has to be some kind of backend somewhere.

A Windows Server with remote desktop features should do the trick. All software and data would reside on the server.

[rthonpm]

Re: Windows using with Mac's????

The only issue with a terminal server is that licensing can get a little tricky since some vendors will require a server license for a terminal server to work.

Beyond that, there's also the added expense of RDS licenses needed for the server. Wouldn't want to give a customer the idea only to get them dinged for it in a licensing audit.

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk

[copier tech]

Re: Windows using with Mac's????

Customer has 5 Mac's and needs to have Windows operating system because of his new Merchandising an Accounting System. Is this an option or better get 5pcs dedicated Windows computers right away?

Hans

It can be done I have an art gallery that love the "look" of a mac but the practicality of Microsoft Windows bit of a joke with us engineers but have a read.

How to install Windows 10 on your Mac using Boot Camp | iMore

[tonerhead]

Re: Windows using with Mac's????

I have a graphics shop running parallels. For the most part it works as it should, but there are occasional quirks. Personally I run Windows on my Linux box using virtual box. It's not too bad. I tried running dual boot on linux once (like bootcamp) didn't work well for me. Windows updates always wrecked the bootloader. IMO always better to go with a virtual computer (parallels) rather than a dual boot (bootcamp). Ideally though it is not your issue, but the customer's issue. If they are tech savvy go with the virtual, if not they should buy pc's.

[slimslob]

Re: Windows using with Mac's????

I have a graphics shop running parallels. For the most part it works as it should, but there are occasional quirks. Personally I run Windows on my Linux box using virtual box. It's not too bad. I tried running dual boot on linux once (like bootcamp) didn't work well for me. Windows updates always wrecked the bootloader. IMO always better to go with a virtual computer (parallels) rather than a dual boot (bootcamp). Ideally though it is not your issue, but the customer's issue. If they are tech savvy go with the virtual, if not they should buy pc's.

My youngest daughter has a PHD in Computer Science and is the Computer Sciences and Engineering Chair at California State University Bakersfield, CSUB. She uses Windows in a virtual machine on Linux.

[rthonpm]

Re: Windows using with Mac's????

For easier network support for some of our customers, we've built out a Hyper-V server with VM's connected to our customers' networks via VPN clients. This gives our network support guys the ability to work in real time from the office, cutting down on travel time. Granted, we do all of the support for these customers, but virtual machines have certainly opened up an entirely new world.

Overall, our advice has been if you can do it with a VM, do it: less hardware to buy, and fewer issues with things like drivers and the like. The days of dual boot machines for most use cases are now long gone.

[tsbservice]

Re: Windows using with Mac's????

For easier network support for some of our customers, we've built out a Hyper-V server with VM's connected to our customers' networks via VPN clients. This gives our network support guys the ability to work in real time from the office, cutting down on travel time. Granted, we do all of the support for these customers, but virtual machines have certainly opened up an entirely new world.

Overall, our advice has been if you can do it with a VM, do it: less hardware to buy, and fewer issues with things like drivers and the like. The days of dual boot machines for most use cases are now long gone.

We are only two techs here - me and our IT guy, but that is what I wish we aimed...someday.