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VMware Fusion goes Beta

Posted by Zonk on from the toys-for-christmas dept.

Rahul writes "Fusion is a new VMware product that enables Intel-based Macs to run Windows and Linux in virtual machines on Mac OS X. The Mac virtualization market is presently dominated by Parallels and it will be worth watching if VMware can gain the mindshare despite its late entry. Ars Technica reports: 'The nice thing about VMWare Fusion is that it already supports some of the stuff that the Parallels Beta2 released yesterday just added, such as USB 2.0 and most USB devices, CD/DVD drive support, and drag-and-drop between environments (unless the guest environment is Linux, that is). You can also run multiple Fusion environments at once or assign multiple processors to your virtual machine(s), if you're into that sort of thing.'"

6 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. Prize goes to the 3D graphics provider by 2ms · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I would like to have a Mac, yet I am a mechanical engineer who works with CAD all the time. None of the industry standard CAD softwares are available for Mac. Thus, even if I had a Mac, I would have to spend more time booted into Windows than OSX. Whoever can provide 3D acceleration for PC apps in OSX will part the clouds for a whole new throng of would-be Mac users who are trapped in Windows.

    1. Re:Prize goes to the 3D graphics provider by revscat · · Score: 5, Informative

      Inside Mac Games had an interview recently with a PR guy from Parallels where he says "The goal is to have OpenGL and DirectX support in our next version, which should be in beta around the turn of the year."

      You know, I'd really be curious to see how some of the CAD programs behave on a PowerMac with Parallels. Those are really fast machines. It would be an expensive experiment, but you're not the first CAD user I've heard mention this. A friend of mine works at an architecture firm, and he also mentioned the lack of CAD software available on the Mac as being the main reason he couldn't get one.

  2. Re:why does linux lag windows in features? by che · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, VMware Fusion ships with VMware Tools for Linux, Solaris, NetWare, and Windows.

    You can copy and paste and drag and drop to and from Linux, Solaris, and Windows, and easily change the resolution of the Linux VM.

  3. It's compatible with the other VMWare products! by MarcQuadra · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What I really wanted was compatibility with VMWare's other apps, and they delivered. I can justify a Mac at my desk if I can author sessions that eventually live up on our server farm.

    Interoperability is HUGE when it comes to virtualization. There's a lot of value to being able to 'build' a server in my bedroom and upload it to bigger metal when I get to work. Parallels didn't have that, VMWare does. I'm going with VMWare.

    --
    "Sometimes, I think Trent just needs a cup of hot chocolate and a blankie." -Tori Amos on Nine Inch Nails
  4. Re:Multi-CPU support? by Hadley · · Score: 5, Informative

    VMware is not at all late to the game - they have been doing x86 virtualization really well for almost 10 years.

    To create a VMware image from a real Windows box, use the VMware Converter (a free download).

    There is also a free importer that converts images from other formats (not sure if it supports parallels).

  5. Blogs by the VMware engineers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative
    For anyone interested, two blogs by engineers on VMware Fusion:
    • http://compfusion.blogspot.com/2006/12/good-day. html (Tech Lead)
    • http://infusion.vox.com/
    (- A friend who wants to give them a virtual pat on the back)