Workflow of Dual CRIMPers -- those fortunate folks using both Macs and Windows PCs

Posted by Cady
Apr 3, 2010 at 06:14 PM

I’m not sure if the subject is off-topic, so I apologize ahead.
I’m a veteran PC user, I love my HP Mini 2140 to bits (okay, not literally), and I carry that netbook everywhere. Recently, I’ve purchased a Mac Mini and installed Parallels on it, thinking I could easily integrate my favorite Windows apps into my Mac-ish workflow. Not so easy. Though I now have Surfulater, ConnectedText, LinkStash, ClipCache and OneNote working on the Mac, I realized that within the OS X environment they’ve lost much of their old charm, mainly since integration with other Mac applications is far from perfect (or absent). I’m still trying to cast that silver bullet, the one that would ensure the Perfect Workflow scheme integrating both Mac and Windows, and ease the sharing of information between the two platforms. For now I only purchased a Scrivener’s license, and I started using Dropbox to move files between the Windows laptop and the Windows virtual machine on the Mac and vice versa; next I copy what I need from the Windows virtual machine to Mac applications (from OneNote to Scrivener’s Research folder, for instance) but this process is one heck of a time-waster.
I realize that every person’s workflow is unique, but frustration drives me to ask anyway:
Those of you who work daily on both Mac and Windows, how has it affected your workflow? Were there Windows applications you quit using, while concentrating on others? Have you found an easier way to move data around between platforms outside of Dropbox/Virtual Machine environment/Cut-Paste? (Well. Except for dumping the HP and getting a MacBook. I still love my Windows machine).

Cheers,
Cady.