What's Possible and Impossible with Parallels?

[marvmiller]

I thought, after playing with Parallels RC2 (and it's really good), I'd ask some questions on whether some of requested features will EVER be possible on a virtual machine or not due to some technical limitation?

- Use webcam with high fps (20 to 30 fps)?
- Use Blackberry Desktop Manager for all functions?
- GPS Devices?
- High speed video performance (smooth window dragging and all)?
- Drag and drop files between Mac and Parallels?
- Use built in iSight once Apple writes a driver for it?
- Run 3D games (Doom, Quake, Half-life 2)?
- Use BootCamp partition instead of a separate image drive taking up more space?
- Run Windows Vista Beta 2 and RC1?
- More transparent launching of individual applications in their own window on Mac? (Like CrossOver)

Thanks,
Marvin

 

[VTMac]

I don't work for paralells, but here's my take:
- Possible
- Possible
- Possible
- Depends what you mean. If you mean Vista Aero type effects - not possible - at least not until hardware virtualization of the graphics chips is real. If you mean smotth window dragging of XP normal windows - I get that now.
- Possible
- Possible
- OpenGL based games - possible. Direct3D based games - not possible - at least not until hardware virtualization of the graphics chips is real.
- Possible
- Possible (Next full release according to Parallels)
- Not possible using only virtualization. Virtualization creates a virtual CPU sandbox. What your describing requires emulating the OS (windows). I HOPE Parallels NEVER tries to do this, as it suspect it would destabilize things for relatively little benefit.

 

[hans sep]

I'm a user and I would like to counter the previous statement: just do a search on this forum and you will find a lot of unhappy users with regards to usb connectivity.

 

[marvmiller]

And, I was referring to a small but noticeable difference in window dragging performance between Parallels and BootCamp.

Marvin

 

[DotNetGuy]

And, I was referring to a small but noticeable difference in window dragging performance between Parallels and BootCamp.

A virtual computer will never perform as well as the real thing. You can get closer and closer, but don't ever expect it to be like running the OS on the raw machine.