Parallels on MacBook Pro

July 28, 2006 on 9:40 pm | In Apple, Windows | 4 comments

I am very pleased with my decision to run Windows XP in Parallels instead of using a different partition for BootCamp. Not only have I avoided the hassle of having to reboot each time I need to switch between Mac OS X and Windows XP, I also get near-native performance in Windows XP.

I installed Visual Studio .NET 2005 on a virtual machine configured with 8 GB disk space and 512 MB RAM, expecting the performance to degrade when the hefty development environment is running. I was pleasantly surprised when I was able to use it without incurring any performance loss.

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Windows XP on the MacBook Pro

July 27, 2006 on 11:06 pm | In General, Apple | 3 comments

I am running Windows XP within a Parallels on my MacBook Pro. All my software work flawlessly and as fast as on a native installation, which I can only attribute to the excellent virtualisation technology in the Core Duo processor.

I considered installing Windows XP on a separate partition and using BootCamp to boot into it, but dropped the idea when I discovered Parallels. I was so impressed that I did not have to wait for the end of the trial period to purchase a licence. Parallels is one of these must-have software for the Mac.

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Java Development on Mac OS X

July 20, 2006 on 10:30 am | In Java, Apple | Add a comment

If you are considering a move to the Mac for your Java development needs, then this comparison of Java development on different platforms is just for you.

Interestingly, it claims that Windows XP runs faster than Mac OS X on the new Intel-based Mac.

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Apple releases Mac OS X 10.4.7 update

June 29, 2006 on 10:18 am | In Apple | Add a comment

Apple has released the “latest Mac OS X 10.4.7 update”:http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macosxupdate1047combointel.html.

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Three weeks with a MacBook Pro laptop

April 7, 2006 on 7:00 pm | In Apple | 1 comment

MacBook Pro laptop

I have been using my MacBook Pro for the past three weeks. The MacBook Pro is a great laptop, perfectly suited for development work. The laptop delivers incredible performance, thanks to its Core Duo Intel CPU and the high-end ATI X1600 graphics chip. After using an iBook G3 for the past four years, I am simply blown away by how fast things get done with this new laptop. What used to take minutes (for example, restarting Tomcat 5.5 under NetBeans 5.0) now completes in a matter of seconds. The boost in performance has put the fun back in programming as I now spend more time actually writing and testing code than waiting for the computer to complete an operation.

Comparing the MacBook Pro to an oldish iBook G3 is like comparing apples to oranges, some may say. And, they would be right. However, other people who have been using Powerbooks and faster laptops are just as amazed as I am by their new MacBook Pro laptops. Geert Bevin reports that his newish Acer Ferrari laptop is shamed by the performance of the MacBook Pro. Apparently, the latter compiles his programs about 30% faster than the former.

Developers had to make the switch to Mac OS X in order to use a Mac in the past; now, with an Intel CPU driving the MacBook Pro and the possibility to run Windows on it, they no longer have an excuse not to switch. With the MacBook Pro dual-booting Mac OS X and Windows, they have the best of both world: the availability of Windows software and the build quality of Apple hardware and the robustness of Mac OS X.

If you are looking for a new laptop, you should seriously consider the MacBook Pro.

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Boot Camp for Mac OS X on Intel-based Macs

April 6, 2006 on 1:42 am | In Apple | 2 comments

Mac OS X Boot Camp

Apple recently released the Public Beta of Boot Camp for Mac OS X. Boot Camp allows owners of Intel-based Apple computers to install and run Windows XP on their hardware without having to apply the hacks described in many a webcast available on the net.

By allowing Windows XP to boot on its hardware, Apple is offering a very attractive alternative to other PC-compatible computers. People will be more inclined to invest in its products with the knowledge that they can benefit from Apple’s renowned product quality while still having access to their favourite Windows software.

This release is also very welcome by software development specialists. Developers can now use a single platform to develop and test software for both Windows and Mac OS X. Many programming languages, such as Java and PHP, are avaialble for both operating systems. With this release from Apple, programmers can now switch seamless from one to the other.

While hackers have been successful at running Windows XP on the MacBook Pro, the Intel iMac and the Intel Mac Mini for some time, it is widely known that the procedure is not for the neophyte. Also, some applications, such as certain communication software, have been reported as not working properly. With Boot Camp, Apple is now officialising its support for Windows XP, which also means that better support will soon be available for third party software.

To install Boot Camp on his Mac, a user will need to have the latest version of Mac OS X Tiger (10.4.6, downloadable from Software Update) and the latest firmwarre (available from the downloads section of the Apple web site). Boot Camp also requires at least 10 GB of free hard disk space, a CD to burn it on and the original Windows XP installation disk.

The Public Beta designation of Boot Camp should sound a cautionary bell to users, though. The software is still prone to errors that could result in data loss and the need for complicated data recovery procedures. Already some users have reported problems with Boot Camp, including Mac OS X not booting after Windows XP has been installed. As always, the recommendation is to wait for more feedback to come in before installing it on your own Mac.

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Spotlight search dialog fails to display

March 22, 2006 on 6:33 pm | In Apple | Add a comment

Mac OS X Spotlight

Spotlight occasionally fails to display the search dialogue when activate. This incorrect behaviour can easily be fixed.

Spotlight is activated by pressing Cmd-Spacebar or clicking the Spotlight icon on the menu bar. This brings up a search dialogue (or sheet, in Mac OS X lingo) where the keywords are entered. However, on occasions this dialogue is not displayed although the user input is recognised and processed.

The way to fix is is to delete or rename com.apple.systemuiserver.plist located under ~/Library/Preferences. Then, restart the computer.

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More MacBook Pro goodness

March 21, 2006 on 7:51 am | In Apple | Add a comment

Both cores active.

MacBook Pro Core Duo

Core 2 inactive.

MacBook Pro Core Duo

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Ubuntu Linux on iBook G3 laptop

December 10, 2005 on 8:28 pm | In General, Apple | Add a comment

I decided to try Ubuntu Linux 5.10 (Breezy) on my iBook G3 laptop after becoming a very satisfied user of the x86 version that runs on my other laptop and my computer at work. In the past, I installed Yellow Dog Linux and a previous version of Ubuntu Linux on the same iBook, but quickly became frustrated by the many tweaks required to make it run all the programs that I needed.

The installation was very easy, but as before I ran into some problems getting the laptop set up with my desired software.

First, Flash is not well supported. There are free open-source alternatives out there, but those are still very unstable and will not play well with all web sites.

Second, Java. Only IBM’s implementation of Java is available for the PPC and it is not even Tiger. I’m a developer, I’m supposed to be able to run the latest Java SDK.

Third, the iBook keyboard does not work as it should. Why should I press F12 to emulate a right-click when Apple said I should be Ctrl-clicking?

Which brings me to the realisation after I was afflicted with this terrible headache that I still have at the time of this writing. If Apple spent so much money on designing proprietary hardware and software that complement each other, it is because they meant those to remain inter-dependent. Never will there be an operating system that will run as flawlessly on an Apple product as Mac OS X. In fact, that is why I bought a Mac in the first place!

I then realised that my frustration was not about not being able to run Linux on this iBook, but rather about having to manage three different operating systems: Mac OS X on the iBook, Linux on the other laptop and Windows XP on the desktop. So now I’m taking another approach and planning on partitioning my computer usage so that each of these systems delivers in the area(s) it is most suited for. My initial plan is to keep the Windows XP machine for my gaming sessions, the Linux laptop as a server (for backup and other things) and the iBook as my main machine.

I will write later to report on my progress in attempting this objective.

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The Mighty Mouse

August 3, 2005 on 1:42 pm | In General, Apple | Add a comment

Apple has finally released a “two-button” mouse, the “Mighty Mouse”:http://www.apple.com/uk/mightymouse/.

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