Opinions of Parallels 8

AHunter3 · 12-06-2012, 10:17 AM

I'm running Parallels 7 and it keeps reminding me of the existence of Parallels 8 every time it launches, something I haven't told it to stop doing because I'm actively thinking about it.

Parallels 7 has been a solid and reliable environment in which to run various flavors of Windows (from 3.11 for Workgroups to Win7 Ultimate) and I'm happy with it as an environment to run Unix environments. I'm less chuffed about it as an environment for running MacOS X virtual machines. I have 10.6.8 as my real-world operating environment and Parallels has enabled me to own and operate 10.7 and 10.8 without me being stuck in either of them as my everyday OS, but they don't share a clipboard in common (highly annoying) and after one of the free decimal-point upgrades I had to apply a semi-hack described by another Parallels user to get shared folders working —— no fix ever provided by Parallels and the shared folders are still glitchy.

Technically, I think I'm not supposed to be running 10.7 as a virtual machine unless 10.7 is also my native OS and likewise for 10.8, which is the silliest and most purpose-defeating rule I can imagine. As long as I'm confessing to some rule-bending, I also have 10.6.8 (non-server version) running in a VM.

If I were to upgrade to Parallels 8 it would be for the supposed greater support for MacOS virtual environments. I would be happy if I bough the upgrade and got a more reliable shared folders support and got a shared clipboard. I'd be less happy if Parallels 8 stuck its tongue out at any of the above-described environments and said "you aren't supposed to be running this, dude" and refused to boot them.

Who here has 8, and what do you think of it compared to 7? Is it worth the upgrade price?

AHunter3 · 12-12-2012, 02:16 PM

** bump **

anthlover · 12-12-2012, 02:20 PM

I Only use Virtualbox. Its free and updated frequently. I know that does not answer your question but perhaps it will help the thread

chabig · 12-13-2012, 08:42 AM

In my experience going to back to Parallels 3, major releases of Parallels accompany and support major releases of OS X. I think you should be fine keeping Parallels 7 on Lion. By the way, it does have a shared clipboard--always has. Check your settings and preferences.

AHunter3 · 12-13-2012, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chabig


	In my experience going to back to Parallels 3, major releases of Parallels accompany and support major releases of OS X. I think you should be fine keeping Parallels 7 on Lion. By the way, it does have a shared clipboard--always has. Check your settings and preferences.

I'm talking VERY SPECIFICALLY about MacOS virtual machines. Running 10.7 as a virtual machine on a 10.6 host, etc.

I do not have shared clipboard.

chabig · 12-13-2012, 11:03 AM

I missed the part about running OS X in a virtual machine. Sorry.

12-06-2012, 10:17 AM	#1
AHunter3 Hall of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 3,005	Opinions of Parallels 8 I'm running Parallels 7 and it keeps reminding me of the existence of Parallels 8 every time it launches, something I haven't told it to stop doing because I'm actively thinking about it. Parallels 7 has been a solid and reliable environment in which to run various flavors of Windows (from 3.11 for Workgroups to Win7 Ultimate) and I'm happy with it as an environment to run Unix environments. I'm less chuffed about it as an environment for running MacOS X virtual machines. I have 10.6.8 as my real-world operating environment and Parallels has enabled me to own and operate 10.7 and 10.8 without me being stuck in either of them as my everyday OS, but they don't share a clipboard in common (highly annoying) and after one of the free decimal-point upgrades I had to apply a semi-hack described by another Parallels user to get shared folders working —— no fix ever provided by Parallels and the shared folders are still glitchy. Technically, I think I'm not supposed to be running 10.7 as a virtual machine unless 10.7 is also my native OS and likewise for 10.8, which is the silliest and most purpose-defeating rule I can imagine. As long as I'm confessing to some rule-bending, I also have 10.6.8 (non-server version) running in a VM. If I were to upgrade to Parallels 8 it would be for the supposed greater support for MacOS virtual environments. I would be happy if I bough the upgrade and got a more reliable shared folders support and got a shared clipboard. I'd be less happy if Parallels 8 stuck its tongue out at any of the above-described environments and said "you aren't supposed to be running this, dude" and refused to boot them. Who here has 8, and what do you think of it compared to 7? Is it worth the upgrade price?

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12-12-2012, 02:16 PM	#2
AHunter3 Hall of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 3,005	bump

12-12-2012, 02:20 PM	#3
anthlover Hall of Famer Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 2,703	I Only use Virtualbox. Its free and updated frequently. I know that does not answer your question but perhaps it will help the thread

12-13-2012, 08:42 AM	#4
chabig Hall of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,944	In my experience going to back to Parallels 3, major releases of Parallels accompany and support major releases of OS X. I think you should be fine keeping Parallels 7 on Lion. By the way, it does have a shared clipboard--always has. Check your settings and preferences.

12-13-2012, 11:03 AM	#6
chabig Hall of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,944	I missed the part about running OS X in a virtual machine. Sorry.