What Parallels Needs to Keep Me as a Customer

[nivenh]

BTW hhwong, it's my understanding that the VMWare already has in its beta software USB 2.0 and the capability to burn CDs in its VM. So don't be whining to me about my unrealistic expectations when this technology is already here.

please don't wave about some VMWare alpha that you haven't even used as an example of the technology already being here. Fusion's USB support is ok, but its far from perfect, and that's ignoring all the other problems VMWare's alpha currently has.

 

[Stevamundo]

please don't wave about some VMWare alpha that you haven't even used as an example of the technology already being here. Fusion's USB support is ok, but its far from perfect, and that's ignoring all the other problems VMWare's alpha currently has.

So nivenh, you have tried the beta from VMWare that they're offering, right? Is it true that the stuff I've been hearing about how they can burn CDs too? Or is that bogus?

Of course it is far from perfect because it's only their first beta. However my point is at their first official release they're probably going to fix their major bugs.

So at their first official release they're going to probably have a pretty good USB 2.0 support and the ability to burn CDs in their VMs “from what I'm hearing."

I'm sorry if this pissing some of you off. However this is only from what I hear.

 

[hhwong]

BTW hhwong, it's my understanding that the VMWare already has in its beta software USB 2.0 and the capability to burn CDs in its VM. So don't be whining to me about my unrealistic expectations when this technology is already here.

You are whining. You're asking for capabilities in software that were never promised in this current codeline. You are buying a set of capabilities promised for this particular version. Never buy software on the "promise" of future functionality, real or imagined. if it's not on the box, it's not in the software.

Here's an example -- should people who buy 2005 Ford Mustangs complain about what's new in a 2006 Mustang?

 

[akac]

I bought Parallels knowing what features it had. USB works for me - most of the time. But I bought it knowing what it was supposed to and what it wasn't supposed to do. And as such, I see no reason why they shouldn't put USB 2.0 into 3.0 and charge some upgrade fee for it.

You could say that hardware graphics, firewire, and other tech are "standard" tech and should be support for free - but gollee - Parallels isn't hardware. Its software and it does its job very well.

So even if my desires for raw disk access is in 3.0, as long as its a reasonable upgrade charge I am happy with it because I'm choosing to pay for the extra functionality that did not exist when i bought the product knowing what it did do.

 

[nivenh]

So nivenh, you have tried the beta from VMWare that they're offering, right? Is it true that the stuff I've been hearing about how they can burn CDs too? Or is that bogus?

i haven't tried burning CD's, though i have tried out the USB2 support, and while it is better than USB1 in parallels, it still has problems with some devices. CDROM support appears to be equal in both as far as i can tell (i haven't tried burning since i can do that in osx).

Of course it is far from perfect because it's only their first beta. However my point is at their first official release they're probably going to fix their major bugs.

So at their first official release they're going to probably have a pretty good USB 2.0 support and the ability to burn CDs in their VMs “from what I'm hearing."

I get what you're saying, however being a veteran developer myself, i honestly don't see VMWare releasing their Mac product till Feb. of next year at the earliest, which is when parallels has said they are going to release their USB2/3D as well. I'm going by what i see in the alpha (they call it a beta).

That's why i don't think its fair to lob such criticism at parallels for not having it done yet. Parallels chose what they wanted to do first, and VMWare did the same. It was just at opposite ends of the same scale. Parallels had to get a product out faster i assume, given that they're a small company. They need those sales to live. VMWare on the other hand is practically a juggernaut these days and can do without the sales in the interest of making development easier.

 

[Stevamundo]

So there is CD burning capability in their beta.

Thank you nivenh for explaining things to me NICELY.

There are PLENTY of people on this forum “whining about USB 2.0 support." Yet I'm the one getting crapped on, it figures. Excuse me for not being able to afford another $80 just for standard computer features thus trying to find alternative answers!

 

[hhwong]

So there is CD burning capability in their beta.

Thank you nivenh for explaining things to me NICELY.

There are PLENTY of people on this forum “whining about USB 2.0 support." Yet I'm the one getting crapped on, it figures. Excuse me for not being able to afford another $80 just for standard computer features thus trying to find alternative answers!

If you feel like you're getting crapped on, maybe you should go back and read your postings and see how others might react to what at least I see as an entitlement attitude towards things.

Your postings indicate that Parallels owes you something -- and from my perspective, no they don't.

 

[Stevamundo]

Yes sir Mr. perfect!

 

[moyse]

hhwong is absolutely right Stevamundo. I appreciate you want USB2 but you're presenting it as a unforgivable ommission from Parallels. Frankly I don't give a monkeys about USB, but I'd love to be able to run windows from its own partition, and for Parallels to handle being suspended better (under linux). Basically, different users want different things, and the team have to try to balance it all ... I'm amazed at how well Parallels works, especially given the cheap price.

That said - I'd love it if someone could do something about the weird clock skew I'm getting, that makes CVS complain. ;-)

 

[Chimpson]

You're overlooking a bigger issue...

What Parallels has to do to keep me as a customer has nothing to do with VMWare or the cost of future upgrades. They need to quit breaking features as new versions are released. I am currently operating without Built-In Ethernet bridged networking and USB Jumpdrive support. My emails to support have gone unanswered and the forum posts, while appreciated, have not provided a solution.

As any customer of any product would do if they recieve this degree of poor support, I will look for alternatives. Even if they cost me more.

Parallels decided to enter the VM market and compete with the bigger players. Now they need to start acting like a company that is held to service and support expectations. If they can't, leave the market. Charging a lower price doesn't give them the right to screw over their customers.

No whining here, just the facts.

 

[rickbsgu]

Umm. Just a couple of points:

From HHWong:

Parallels is an emulator. Parallels is not a computer. If you don't know the difference, you shouldn't be using the software. If you need all those hardware requirements, you should be running a Windows box instead of a Mac. Pure and simple.​

That's actually not true. The Windows you are running is not an emulator, nor is it running in some sort of 'emulator shell'. It's real Windows running on real x86 hardware. The fact that it requires x86 hardware (and is not possible under PPC hardware) points up the fact.

Parallels (and VMWare) facilitate something called 'Virtual machine technology' that is part of the Intel architecture. They provide the necessary bridging to allow you to run the 'host' machines.

As for peripherals and video - that's another story. The two OS's can't compete for the same video card. Future cards might provide for separate controllers of subwindows, but I don't think that's part of the technology, right now.


Also:
VMWare is selling for more like $190 (download edition at their site). Better than what they used to charge, though - I seem to recall paying something closer to $300 during the 3.x days.


My only complaint w/ Parallels is you have to shut down the VM to make any little settings changes at all. I'd like to see them address that. Some fine tuning in the behavior when I put the Mac into deep sleep (hibernation) would be helpful, as well. Right now, the VM doesn't come back very well. And, yeah, I'd like to see USB 2.0. I have to do backups on external NTFS volumes. It doesn't work going through a network mount, because Mac can't deal with NTFS writes.

my 2c
rickb

 

[buzzdat]

Parallels is an emulator. Parallels is not a computer. If you don't know the difference, you shouldn't be using the software. If you need all those hardware requirements, you should be running a Windows box instead of a Mac. Pure and simple.

Parallels is not an emulator, it is a virtualizer. Very different beast. Before flaming someone online, you should probably have your facts straight.

Virtualization: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtualization
Emulation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulation

That said, I agree with most of what hhwong is saying here. Parallels is not VMWare - different price point, different target market. I've been a heavy VMWare user since their initial public release - it makes application testing on multiple platforms very straightforward. I continue to use and support VMWare for this purpose. Parallels should be viewed as a replacement for VirtualPC, as that appears to be the market that the product is targeting.

Parallels provides 85 - 90% of the functionality of VMWare, for less than 50% of VMWare's price. This is a great accomplishment for a small software house, and one which the Parallels folks should be very proud of.

Parallels is a SMALL development shop. They are doing a phenominal job of supporting, updating, and enhancing their product, especially considering their size. They are not Microsoft - they don't have unlimited development bodies to work issues. This is a sub-$100 product - you simply cannot expect immediate fixes to complex problems.

I'm not saying that, as an end user, you shouldn't expect the product to work properly. I'm also not saying that you shouldn't hold the Parallels folks to a high standard of product quality. I *am*, however, saying that you need to be realistic about your demands - proper bug fixes and new feature additions require a good deal of time to get right. Rushed fixes break things.

Yes, the software still has issues. USB2 is still not working right, and performance could use a boost. These issues will be resolved by the development team in time.

Like Parallels, VMWare provides point releases for free, but charges for full version upgrades. The argument being made here that Parallels is somehow out of line for this practice is ignorant at best.

Please, people, please stop posting the "If I don't get xxx feature then parallels isn't getting my $75.00" posts. If the product doesn't meet your needs, then don't buy it. Wait for VMWare to release their product and pay the $200 price tag for it. These negative posts come across as whining, not as serious requests for help or additional features.

Along those lines, please stop the "I was led to believe that the software would do xxx so I bought it and it doesn't do that" posts as well - there is a very generous trial period being offered to try out the software, try it out and confirm your needed functionality for yourself before buying it. It's a full version - nothing is crippled.

There are several people who lurk on these boards and answer questions in a helpful, curteous, professional manner. They are not paid to do so. Continued negative or whining posts will only result in driving these folks away, or in Parallels locking un-registered users out of the message boards. A little common courtesy and common sense goes a long way.

 

[akac]

Umm. Just a couple of points:
My only complaint w/ Parallels is you have to shut down the VM to make any little settings changes at all. I'd like to see them address that.
rickb

I personally found that suspending and editing the .pvs file in BBedit and resuming works fine. I've only done it a couple times, though.