Considering an "actual" PC can be purchases for less than a 100.00 more I'm not to sure unless space is a premium. Notebook users will still love it however.
OMFG that looks cool. I downloaded VPC 5 from Gnutella, but this is so cool I'll buy it. Automatic printer detection (and my model printer! (HP 970CXi), start-menu from dock, more VRAM, etc etc...
What do I use VPC for?
1) Running Photoshop. I'm not gonna spend another $1000+ just for the Mac version!!!
2) Running Rollercoaster Tycoon! Best game ever!
3) I need Windows XP running somewhere so I can answer questions for school projects and n00bie friends.
i just downloaded VPC 6 and have to say it's much snappier.
Even though VRAM is set at amazing 4MB...
I'm using it on 1ghz TiBook with win 2k, 512MB ram dedicated to VPC, and with disabled sound, usb, and all eye-candy in win it is actually usable, not bad at all.
All i'm using it for is Lotus Domino Designer, and Crystal Reports.
<strong>could i just use a friend's XP CD?</strong><hr></blockquote>No. Unless you have a special corporate version of Windows XP, it WILL attempt to contct Microsoft's servers and register your machine with the "product activation" scheme. If it doesn't match your friend's machine close enough, it will not allow you to run XP.
<strong>if i wanted to buy the $100 dos version of VPC 6 and run XP w/o paying the M$ tax... could i just use a friend's XP CD?</strong><hr></blockquote>
... and it is completely illegal and unethical. And we all now where criminals go...
Yes, this is the third strange thing about 10.2.3: first the addition of Force Feedback drivers, then additional Rendezvous support (Chimera requires 10.2.3 for it) and now supposedly much better Virtual PC performance <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
I'll be damned if it's a placebo effect. Virtual PC 6 definitely feels more resposive under 10.2.3 than 5 did under 10.2.2.
There are two REALLY interesting features, though, that have been added to VPC6. One is the Start menu in the Dock. The second is the option to have Windows display its apps in the Dock as well. It may not sound like much until you see it in action.
With the Proxy App running, Windows app icons appear and disappear from the Dock just like Mac OS X apps do. Control-click an app and tell it to quit and it exits cleanly inside VPC and the Dock icon fades away!
The Start menu really is an amazing technological feat. When I use it, I think back to when XDarwin added the option for rootless mode. Seeing the Dock icons for apps and this Start menu in action really makes me wonder if there is a fantastic update planned for the future that will incorporate a rootless Windows mode. Now THAT would be a KILLER app.
The menu draws instantly. There is no visible redrawing like there is in the actual VPC environment. It is instant; I kid you not. (This is on a measly old dual 500 G4.) The menus also have a proper Mac OS X shadow on each layer.
These two features make VPC's future suddenly look very promising, IMO.
Not to encourage piracy, but one feature caught my eye. It says that the virtual drives will be self contained for easy transfer. Well how would XP under VPC know it was on a different Mac if you copied the drive over? I have VPC5 and have transfered drives between machines and drives (all my own), and never really thought about it. So what if I could give you my drive image?
Also if by some odd chance the PPC platform ever gets an advantage again, it could hurt MS. Convince a friend to buy a Mac, and then just give him Windows, any version.
<strong>Not to encourage piracy, but one feature caught my eye. It says that the virtual drives will be self contained for easy transfer. Well how would XP under VPC know it was on a different Mac if you copied the drive over? I have VPC5 and have transfered drives between machines and drives (all my own), and never really thought about it. So what if I could give you my drive image?
Also if by some odd chance the PPC platform ever gets an advantage again, it could hurt MS. Convince a friend to buy a Mac, and then just give him Windows, any version.
interesting...</strong><hr></blockquote>
You know, I was thinking the same thing myself. Even further than that: if the hash that MS generates for activation doesn't include hardware id's (as they've said it doesn't), how would it identify what Mac it was on? There's a lot more uniformity in across powerbooks than, say, inspirons. Just a thought.
I am fairly sure that VPC still has access to certain very unique things like the MAC address on your NIC. It's these parts that XP watches out for, as I recall.
Regardless, let's keep the piracy issues out of this thread and stay on topic. Mmm-kay?
All I've got to say is WOW. The dock thing is absolutely amazing. And it's fast. A ton faster than 5 was on my ti667 (512 megs of ram, 16 vram). I may have to plunk down the 99 benjamins for it.
Comments
According to Connectix test, optimal performance requires Mac OS X - version 10.2.3 (Jaguar)
<img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
<strong>the really sad part of this is that the only thing i consistantly use VPC for is to play old DOS games.
Yep. Same here.
What do I use VPC for?
1) Running Photoshop. I'm not gonna spend another $1000+ just for the Mac version!!!
2) Running Rollercoaster Tycoon! Best game ever!
3) I need Windows XP running somewhere so I can answer questions for school projects and n00bie friends.
Barto
i just downloaded VPC 6 and have to say it's much snappier.
Even though VRAM is set at amazing 4MB...
I'm using it on 1ghz TiBook with win 2k, 512MB ram dedicated to VPC, and with disabled sound, usb, and all eye-candy in win it is actually usable, not bad at all.
All i'm using it for is Lotus Domino Designer, and Crystal Reports.
Barto, i salute you for your determination
oops, just noticed, you can increase VRAM to 16MB
[ 12-19-2002: Message edited by: piwozniak ]</p>
<strong>could i just use a friend's XP CD?</strong><hr></blockquote>No. Unless you have a special corporate version of Windows XP, it WILL attempt to contct Microsoft's servers and register your machine with the "product activation" scheme. If it doesn't match your friend's machine close enough, it will not allow you to run XP.
<strong>if i wanted to buy the $100 dos version of VPC 6 and run XP w/o paying the M$ tax... could i just use a friend's XP CD?</strong><hr></blockquote>
... and it is completely illegal and unethical. And we all now where criminals go...
... <a href="http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2000-03-29&res=l"; target="_blank">To the movies!</a>
<strong>From <a href="http://www.connectix.com/products/vpc6m.html"; target="_blank">here</a>:
According to Connectix test, optimal performance requires Mac OS X - version 10.2.3 (Jaguar)
<img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>
Yes, this is the third strange thing about 10.2.3: first the addition of Force Feedback drivers, then additional Rendezvous support (Chimera requires 10.2.3 for it) and now supposedly much better Virtual PC performance <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
There are two REALLY interesting features, though, that have been added to VPC6. One is the Start menu in the Dock. The second is the option to have Windows display its apps in the Dock as well. It may not sound like much until you see it in action.
With the Proxy App running, Windows app icons appear and disappear from the Dock just like Mac OS X apps do. Control-click an app and tell it to quit and it exits cleanly inside VPC and the Dock icon fades away!
The Start menu really is an amazing technological feat. When I use it, I think back to when XDarwin added the option for rootless mode. Seeing the Dock icons for apps and this Start menu in action really makes me wonder if there is a fantastic update planned for the future that will incorporate a rootless Windows mode. Now THAT would be a KILLER app.
The menu draws instantly. There is no visible redrawing like there is in the actual VPC environment. It is instant; I kid you not. (This is on a measly old dual 500 G4.) The menus also have a proper Mac OS X shadow on each layer.
These two features make VPC's future suddenly look very promising, IMO.
[ 12-19-2002: Message edited by: Brad ]</p>
<strong>No. Unless you have a special corporate version of Windows XP, </strong><hr></blockquote>
<img src="graemlins/embarrassed.gif" border="0" alt="[Embarrassed]" />
Also if by some odd chance the PPC platform ever gets an advantage again, it could hurt MS. Convince a friend to buy a Mac, and then just give him Windows, any version.
interesting...
<strong>Not to encourage piracy, but one feature caught my eye. It says that the virtual drives will be self contained for easy transfer. Well how would XP under VPC know it was on a different Mac if you copied the drive over? I have VPC5 and have transfered drives between machines and drives (all my own), and never really thought about it. So what if I could give you my drive image?
Also if by some odd chance the PPC platform ever gets an advantage again, it could hurt MS. Convince a friend to buy a Mac, and then just give him Windows, any version.
interesting...</strong><hr></blockquote>
You know, I was thinking the same thing myself. Even further than that: if the hash that MS generates for activation doesn't include hardware id's (as they've said it doesn't), how would it identify what Mac it was on? There's a lot more uniformity in across powerbooks than, say, inspirons. Just a thought.
Regardless, let's keep the piracy issues out of this thread and stay on topic. Mmm-kay?