Linux and Vista on a Mac, Part Two: Page 2

True, I don't get the 3-D hardware acceleration that Boot Camp gives me, but it's not something I need at work. I don't have a great need to play Oblivion as a work task. (However, all work and no play… – and if anyone wants a review of Oblivion in Vista under Boot Camp on a MacBook Pro, we'll talk). Even outside of testing, I get a lot from Boot Camp. If I need to test SMB issues on a Unix server, I can do so from four environments with ease. If I need to test Web page appearance in a variety of environments, I can do so with ease.

Creating training and other documentation for multiple OSes is far simpler with Parallels, as I can use the tools I'm most comfortable with, like Snapz Pro to do my screen shots, or even movie captures. So now, creating documentation for users on multiple platforms is much simpler, thanks to Parallels.

Of course, I can always use my Remote Desktop Connection Client for the Windows side of things. But Parallels is just a faster environment for Windows, without the slowdowns that I occasionally get with Remote Desktop Connection.

I think the main point here is that Parallels is not just some cool new toy for the Mac, or a way to "experiment" with virtualization. It is a reliable, stable tool for getting real work done, and it's really helped me work a lot more efficiently than I could without it.