Ask a Geeky Girl: Running PC Programs on a Mac

Lori writes:

I need a new laptop and am considering a mac because I really like the OS.

However, we have an adobe suite worth many thousands of dollars that runs on the PC platform.

How well do the applications that allow you to run PC software on the MAC OS work, and are they reasonably priced?

That’s an excellent question, Lori! And I’m not just saying that because I encouraged you to submit it. 😉

Think of programs that work on a Mac as speaking French and programs that work on a PC as speaking Spanish. Macs are obviously French, because they’re a little sexy, maybe a little snooty, and they go oh so nicely with a big ol’ hunk of brie and a glass of red wine. In order for a PC program to run on your Mac, you need to provide a little translation. You have two options: Boot Camp or Virtualization.

Let’s start with Boot Camp. Boot Camp is a program that you get for free with your Mac that allows you to boot into Windows when you restart your computer. Windows runs on your computer just as if you had a Dell or an HP computer. If you have a program speaking “Spanish” (i.e. PC), Boot Camp lets you talk directly to it. You just have to shut down your computer first and then reboot it into Windows. It’s the equivalent of going to find a sexy Spaniard and saying, “Here, talk to this guy.”

Boot Camp is nice, because it’s free. All you need is a license for a copy of Windows that you install on your Boot Camp part of your Hard Drive. If you have an old PC that you’re getting rid of, you can wipe its Hard Drive completely and then use that copy of Windows. Voila, Windows running on a Mac. And for free. The only downside? Anytime you want to use Windows, you need to reboot your computer. Which means that you can’t use Windows programs like your Adobe Software at the same time as you’re using your Mac software. Boot Camp is a good option for people who don’t want to purchase a bunch of special software. It’s also a great option if you have an older and/or slower Mac. Windows talks directly to your computer, so there’s no translation lag.

Your other option, if you want to run Windows software on a Mac, is to use “Virtualization” software like VMWare Fusion or Parallels. As of this writing, VMWare Fusion is about $50 (it’s usually more, but they’re running a rebate right now) and Parallels is about $80. But you can usually find a discounted version if you look online. Virtualization is a little more expensive than Boot Camp, but it allows you to run your PC programs right there in OS X. No need to reboot every time you want to Photoshop yourself into a picture of the Eiffel Tower. Just like with Boot Camp, you’ll need to own a copy of Windows to install onto your computer.

One thing to remember! While Boot Camp lets your PC software talk directly to your computer, VMWare Fusion and Parallels act like intermediaries. If you have a decent computer with enough RAM, it will be fairly seamless. But, on older hardware or without enough RAM, it’s going to feel a little bit like there’s a translator standing in between you and that sexy Spaniard. You might need to wait a little bit for the translator to catch up. As long as you have at least 2GB of RAM and a computer that wasn’t built by wooly mammoths, you won’t even know that the translator is there. Honestly, any computer that doesn’t have 2GB of RAM (Mac or PC) isn’t going to be able to run most modern software. Also, be aware that you might need to do a little work to get your virtual programs to use things like a built-in webcam or a USB printer. You have two operating systems (OS X and Windows) sharing your computer, so you need to teach them to play nicely so that they can both use your computer’s hardware.

Another nice feature of the virtualized software is integration mode. Consult your users manual for instructions, but once you set it up properly you should be able to click on your PC program right in your dock to open it. It’s almost like you have the Mac version right there on your computer.

Also, remember that you’ll need a Mac with an Intel processor in order for Boot Camp or Virtualization to work. Any Mac built in the last 4 years will have an Intel processor.

So, to summarize:

• You can run PC software on a Mac, but you’ll need to own a copy of a Windows OS in order to do so.
• You can use Boot Camp (free!) or a piece of software of software (less than $100)
• If you use Boot Camp, be prepared to restart your computer every time you use want to use your PC software
• If you buy VMWare Fusion or Parallels, make sure that your computer has at 2GB of RAM at a minimum. More would be ideal. But that’s modern computing for you.
• Be prepared to step in to make OS X and Windows share your hardware nicely.
• Make sure your computer has an Intel processor.

Should Lori go Mac when she buys her next computer? I say yes. With a little bit of effort and maybe a small software purchase, she’ll be able to run both Mac and PC programs. And, when it comes down to it, Macs are just that much sexier.

Feel free to argue with me in the comments.