Parallels unfurls desktop virt for Windows, Linux

Virtualization software maker Parallels has unveiled a desktop hypervisor for Windows and Linux machines. The Parallels Desktop 4 for Windows and Linux edition comes hot on the heels of a special bundle of its Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac hypervisor aimed at helping customers make the switch from Windows PCs to Macs. And it's …

[R.E.H.]

Obviously?

"Obviously, if you want to run a 64-bit operating system in a VM, you need to have a 64-bit host."

You may think that's obvious, yet, VMware lets you run a 64-bit guest on a 32-bit host, assuming your processor/chipset supports it in the first place. Obviously.

[Anonymous Coward]

Is this a UK site or what?

Please stop using this annoying Americanism of replacing the word "and" with a comma in your headlines:

"Parallels unfurls desktop virt. for Windows and Linux".

There fixed it for you: no charge.

[spegru]

Virtualbox

Pretty good at those stacked OSs. Free too!

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow!

Wow?

[Parawhat?]

Parallels suffers from upgrade-itus

My experiences with Parallels on the Mac have been less than satisfactory.

Upgrading an Ubuntu VM to 9.04 caused it to become unuseable; apparently the way that Parallels virtualises the video hardware is rather shoddy. New versions of xorg can cause it serious problems. This has been an ongoing problem for Parallels.

I've heard that Parallels *still* doesn't have support for Ubuntu 9.04.

We changed to Virtualbox which is already cross-platform; OSX, Linux, Windows. It works a treat and its free, even for corporate users (provided that its not mass-deployed).

Oh and it seems to be somewhat tricky to get off of Parallels spam^H^H^H^Hmailing list...

[Wortel]

Interesting.

And then there's VMware Fusion.

[Anonymous Coward]

Like the comma, ommited and/or

problem is, is that an or, and? What I don't like is the and/or combo, instead we should move in the xor construct, bite the bullet of logic.

Hmm, I started in support but it does become confusing rapidly, we need unique symbols, so perhaps we use a floating comma to denote and or or or xor.

[Wonko the Sane]

language

I think, as an American, the Americans should take offense at the Brits for blatantly stealing our isms. Don't make us patent the use of the comma to make you understand. Think of the children....errr...or something.

[Jay 2]

Ubuntu 9.04

I seem to recall a few problems putting Ubuntu 9.04 on Mac Parallels (probably video). But I threw on the latest Parallels this morning (build 3846) and in the blurb it claims that it's got fixes for 9.04, including VM Tools.

[Tom Chiverton 1]

Err, so you just c+p'ed the press release then ?

This reads like a lightly retouched press release. You fail to compare and contrast against competing products, for instance.

[Jon Green]

How is this better than (free) VirtualBox?

As spegru and Rinsey comment, the free alternative is VirtualBox. Since VB works splendidly on both Windows and Linux, and runs more-or-less any guest OS one could want, I don't understand why anyone's wanting to pay actual cash for a Type 2 hypervisor any more.