VMWare Fusion Beta 3 out

from the notes:

Improved performance: You now have the option of turning off debugging features in VMware Fusion to enjoy even better performance.

Support for Boot Camp: You no longer have to choose between Windows or Mac—run Windows XP side-by-side with Mac OS X off your existing Boot Camp partition.

Windows Easy Install: Just answer a few simple questions, insert your Windows CD, and VMware Fusion will automatically create a Windows virtual machine that is optimized for your Mac.

Virtual machine packages: Virtual machines are now encapsulated in a single, easy-to-manage package. Move your virtual machines to another hard drive or Mac simply by copying a file.

Enhanced virtual machine management: Managing multiple virtual machines and changing virtual machine settings is even easier with the Virtual Machine Library.

Improved international support: European and Japanese Apple keyboards now work properly in virtual machines.

 

Vista Bootcamp

Got it working.

 

That's good news! Can you still use Vista when you go native? Any conflicts with Parallels?

 

Parallels and Fusion have always run well together here. I frequently run them at the same time and can even cut/paste between them. There's a Fusion forum at VMWare to discuss specific Fusion features and performance.

Except for coherence there's little functional difference when running XP. Advantage goes to Fusion for Linux/Solaris support. The two companies will no doubt converge on critical supported features and performance at some point, then fluff will be added and then it will be a matter of individual preferences that leans one to one vendor or the other.

 

Thanks for the heads-up, i'm going to download it now.

The amount of times i've heard Fusion being praised over on the ubuntu forums the last couple days is staggering!

cheers,
chrisj303

 

I installed it yesterday (by chance I registered and saw beta 3) and I didn't like it.
It felt heavy.

When I tried to transfer a windows install to vmware via acronis trueimage (with universal restore) all I got was blue screen.
On the ubuntu side, install took forever and hung on 90 percent all night.

I know this is beta, but it's just my 2 cents.

 

If we're using Parallels with Bootcamp, I wonder if we can easily try Fusion under Bootcamp too...

 

does anyone know if the 3d performance is better than in parallels?

 

Of course it is. Parallels hasn't any at all. Fusion has limited support for DirectX 8.1 only. No Vista support.

 

what i mean is will it outperforme parallels when i use a 3d program like maya?
(i wasn't talking so much about gaming stuff)

 

A better way to frame the question is how will it perform relative to Windows running native (boot camp). The Fusion EULA does not permit discussing performance except on their forum so that would be a good place to go. If OS X performance is not too important while you use Windows or other VM, having two processors available to the VM would likely be an advantage.

 

I got the new Fusion beta working. I really like it. The main thing that vmware fusion provides and I like way more then parallels, its the interface.

The interface seems more modern and fits in with my mac programs. Parallels feels like windows xp on classic mode for the interface.

I also like how in Vmware fusion, you don't have to install anything on the boot camp partition to be able to use it.

I can't wait till vmware is rock solid and good to go. Not that I don't like parallels, I already own a copy. I just think some interface improvements would be nice and of course 3D accelleration.

Who ever has the best 3D acceleration and overall performance will most likely be the winner in the battle of the two virtualization products.

 

i just went through the hassle to test it and i must say the performance is better. it runs my 3d applications much smoother. not sure if its because of that 3d (direct x) acceleration...

but for now i'll be using vmfusion for work until parallels gets out something better, more powerful (better 3d) than vmfusion.

 

wow can you feel the heat now parallels.

 

I seriously doubt 3D acceleration will have any significant impact on the ultimate winner. The VAST, VAST, VAST majority (as in more than 90%) of business applications have no need whatsoever of 3D support. And ultimately, it's the mainstream part of the market that will determine the winner. Don't confuse people on message boards willing to try out new beta VM features like 3D with the rest of the real world. The rest of the people out their want something that is brain dead simple to use and is rock solid. That's who will be the winner.

 

I felt the oposite. It is MUCH slower than parallels. Installed XP and Vista on 2 new VM's.
They often stalled for seconds or minutes. Not impressed.

 

Anyone have any experience trying this out?

 

Unless Parallels improves their Linux support, I'm switching to VMware. The latest Ubuntu beta won't even boot in Parallels but I had no trouble installing it in VMware. They even have VMware tools for Linux, so the VM window doesn't capture the mouse like Parallels does when running Linux.

The only advantage Parallels has is Coherence mode for Windows, but I could live without it if I can run Linux as nicely as I run Windows.

 

Gotta say, loving it!!
Performance is great once you turn debug off, especially if you have more than one processor core (and allow access to them for your VM!)

The multi processor support makes a huge difference as it seems a waste to only have access to one core.

The USB 2.0 has so little latency I can use an external soundcard and connected it directly to the VM so it has full access to the hardware! I tried this on Parallels but the audio was so choppy I couldn't make it out at all!

Earlier I was installing Ubuntu on one machine whilst 3d gaming on another

I really hope Parallels have some surprises on the way

 

I tried it, seamless once VMTools was in!

In fact I didn't get that huge lag when booting I get when booting the Boot Camp partition in parallels either, it was straight away...