back to article Parallels Desktop 11 brings Windows 10 and Cortana to Mac

Today sees the release of Parallels Desktop 11, the latest update to the PC virtualisation software which lets Mac users run Windows within OSX. It replaces Parallels Desktop 10, released in August 2014. Windows 10 is just out, and deeper integration with Microsoft’s latest OS is high on the list of new features. This extends …

  1. djstardust

    Ransomware

    Great product but the way the company sells it is abhorrent. Ransomware of the highest order and expensive too. No thanks!

    1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      Re: Ransomware

      You can always just use VirtualBox. Works great but lacks some of the comfort of Parallels. Keeps Parallels on their toes

      I don't think Parallels is expensive considering the integration between the OSes it facilitates. I do grate at the yearly update notices and normally skip them and the speed promises piss me off: I remember running two Windows XP VMs next to each other on a MacBook with only 2GB of RAM, something I wouldn't dream of trying today. In the last ten years I've used Parallels, VM Ware and went back to Parallels – VM Ware was much worse when it came to updates. They're already trailing that a new version will be needed for El Capitan, but I will be able to upgrade with the version I already have. Don't know whether this is them just milking the market or down to Apple changing the API.

      I can see the Pro version being very popular if it makes working with Docker, et al. easy.

      1. Detective Emil

        Re: Ransomware

        VM Ware was much worse when it came to updates. They're already trailing that a new version will be needed for El Capitan

        VMware says Fusion 7 already runs El Capitan today, but it’s not considered a ‘supported’ version. This seems to be the case: I'm running it under the El Capitan Public Beta and it seems to work. Not that I'm doing anything terribly stressful to it. I suppose that, if I were, and if it broke, I would not be able to get support. (In particular, I've not tried Windows 10 on it: Windows 7 is fine for what I want.)

        Turning things upside down, VMware Fusion 7 on OS X Yosemite supports El Capitan VMs — although, again, I have not tried doing anything too ambitious from inside one.

        1. This post has been deleted by its author

        2. chr0m4t1c

          Re: Ransomware

          I've been running Windows 10 under El Capitan with Parallels 10 without any apparent problems, so I'd hope it doesn't magically "break" when the full version of El Capitan ships.

          With previous OSX releases I usually found that Parallels wouldn't work, once because of an API change that fundementally broke it, but mostly because something moved or permissions changed - in which case there were often work-arounds.

      2. Dan 55 Silver badge

        Re: Ransomware

        Well I've had my Parallels spam saying that I'll need a new version for El Capitan. I was so surprised, I can tell you, that once again it doesn't work on the new OS X version and I'd need to shell out another 40 euros this year so they can update a kext.

  2. jake Silver badge

    Marketing on drugs.

    Never a good idea ... if you have a clue about security.

  3. jzl

    Not an emulator

    It's a virtualisation platform. Different.

    Windows hasn't needed to run on an emulator on a Mac since Apple switched to Intel CPUs.

    An emulator reproduces a computer architecture in software, virtualisation provides an isolated address space and resource management for an operating system running natively on the hardware.

    1. Tim Anderson

      Re: Not an emulator

      Thanks, oversight corrected.

      Tim

      1. jzl

        Re: Not an emulator

        No fun. Give me something else to rant about pedantically, please.

  4. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
    Unhappy

    We'll just have to get used to 'Ransomeware'

    It seems that more and more companies are getting on to this bandwagon.

    I guess in a few years the prospect of more than a few lawsuits flying their way towards a few vendors for actually stopping users getting at their data will become commonplace.

    This is all a tad shortsighted methinks but probably dictated by the demands of shareholders for ever increasing profits.

    It that don't get people moving towards FOSS then nothing will.

    A sign of the times I suppose.

  5. Justicesays

    Hmm, what does that picture remind me of...

    Ah, yes

    SHODAN

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8wjInQTZKk

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Hmm, what does that picture remind me of...

      My first though was Ringu - I want my personal digital assistant to stay on their side of the screen thanks very much

  6. Fuzz

    Clever but why?

    If you want to run a mac but there are a few windows programs you need then virutalbox is fine. If you want Cortana and the Windows 10 Action Centre then you probably want Windows 10.

    1. Valarian

      Re: Clever but why?

      Or, if you want the unbridled sleek sexiness, utter silence, and raw horsepower grunt of a pimped Mac Pro 2013 and the familiarity of Windows for development and gaming, there's Bootcamp. ;)

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I yelled "Hey Cortana!"

    and the virtual female ignored me just as well as the human ones..

    Turing test passed.

  8. kcwookie

    Thus far Windows 10 operates inside of parallels 10 just fine. I don't think having Cortana is a huge plus. I'm not sure if there is a compelling reason to upgrade. One problem I do see is the way that they handled Access, it is now requiring the pro version. I'm not sure I'm liking the idea of spending $19.95 a year in order to be able to spend more money for the pro. while the upgrade to both versions is the same price this year, what is it going to be next year? I'm fully in favor of profit where, ransom where gives me some heartburn though.

    I think I'm going to avoid being in a hurry on upgrading. I want to see how well it works for others, and if it's claims are actually true.

  9. kcwookie
    Meh

    I'm not sure this is Update e is worth the money. Windows 10 is working pretty well under Parallels 10. I don't think Cortana is such a huge plus that it justifies the upgrade cost. There are some negatives such as how they handle Access. The pro version is now required to use it. I'm not sure the value of $20 so you can upgrade to pro is worth it. Over the last couple of upgrades the company has started nickel and diming uses. That type of business practice makes me worry about the financial future of the company. I used to skip releases but lately have been upgrading yearly. I may go back to yearly upgrades or at least wait until it breaks.

  10. Frenchie Lad

    Win 10 Graphics Driver Issue

    Win 10 does not like the Parallels Graphic driver - apparently its incompatible - support call logged.

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