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Windows vs. Mac plus Parallels
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Posted by exatty95
Nov 18, 2016 at 07:31 PM
I’m having a bit of an existential Windows vs Mac crisis. Like many others, I use Windows at work and Macs personally. There doesn’t seem to be a large constituency here for running programs like ConnectedText, the Windows version of OneNote, MyInfo, etc., on a Mac using CrossOver or Parallels. Is that correct, and if so why? Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Posted by jaslar
Nov 18, 2016 at 07:51 PM
As an only occasional Mac user, I may not be really qualified to answer this. But I think the answer is that if you enjoy using that platform, it’s jarring to adjust to a Windows program. We tend to lean toward native software compliant with Mac user interface conventions. So people tend to look for data FORMATS (like OPML) and shared storage (Dropbox) that are compatible, so that the tools may change, but the files don’t.
Posted by exatty95
Nov 18, 2016 at 08:00 PM
Thanks. I wonder if there are many Mac users who happily run a handful or more PDF Windows programs using Parallels or another bridging platform and themselves think this is a great way to use both Tinderbox *and* ConnectedText, etc.
Posted by Paul Korm
Nov 18, 2016 at 11:08 PM
I run Windows 10 in Parallels 11 on my MacBook Air and have for 10+ hours, daily, for years. I usually have both OS’s running side by side. It’s great. Parallels makes the Mac apps and filesystem structure available in Windows and vice versa. In “coherence” mode Parallels blends all the Windows features into the Mac UI seamlessly. I get the best of both worlds side by side. I prefer the Windows versions of Office products, and I can use Mac apps like DEVONthink and Tinderbox. I can run Windows-only apps like Connected text next to Mac-only apps. I also use a Mac app called DropZone that sits in the Mac menubar. With DropZone running I can drag a file from a DEVONthink database into DropZone and launch Word, etc., on Windows.
One thing: avoid Crossover. It is ugly and clunky anc far less featured than Parallels.
Posted by Franz Grieser
Nov 18, 2016 at 11:10 PM
Hi.
Manfred Kühn of http://takingnotenow.blogspot.de/ is running ConnectedText and other Windows apps on a Mac. You may want to contact him. Or maybe he will step in here - I think I saw him post on this forum a few weeks agon.
I used to run 2 virtual Windows machines through Parallels for Microsoft Office 2003 and 2007 (when I worked as an editor-in-chief for a newsletter covering Microsoft Outlook). It never clicked with me. The only software I run on my Macbook now are Mac OS applications.
When you want to know more about ConnectedText and Tinderbox: Steve Zeoli is the man to ask. I am sure he will soon answer to this topic.
Franz