advice please: windows on macbook pro

[Willwander]

Hello,

I'm a windows developer looking for a new laptop and I'm very tempted by the 3GB Macbook pro!

 

I need to boot into OSX only for home use.

For work use, I earn my living as a freelance Windows developer and need:

- an XP Host OS running VMWare running Win server 2003 standard

- a Vista RTM Host OS running VMWare running Win server 2003 standard

All above will also be running Visual Studio 2005, Office 2007, VMWare Guest 2003 servers will be runnning SQL 2005, SharePoint 2007.

 

Is this feasible? Thoughts? what are my risks?

 

I know about boot camp, Parrallel and VMWare fusion. I'm prepared to take a punt that 'service packs' next version of OSX, patches, hacks etc will smooth out minor issues over next 6-12months but is there anything now that wont work that will really screw me?

 

Speed wise are they comparable with a high end viao? (my fallback choice:( )

 

Many Thanks

[Macpilot]

Wow! I never would have thought that a Windows developer would be looking for a mac, but anyway I too run Windows all the time and use for everything! Always have done this... Currently just got Windows Vista (Beta), but I too am looking at a Macbook. I am leaning toward the regular macbook rather than the pro for cost reasons, I too was wondering, is there any downside to getting the Macbook with 200 GB memory 2 GB Ram, you know, top of the line stuff in the Macbook, will it run Vista or XP better will it slow down like {censored} if I run windows stuff on it?? Thanks anyway, I am sorry to not provide answers to the person above, but I would luv some info on this topic as well...

 

Thanks

 

Mac Pilot!

[non sequitur]

To Willwander:

 

Yeah, the MacBook Pro is an amazing choice for the kind of work you do. I have a core duo MacBook Pro and i run many intense games in windows, and it runs just fine. However, 32-bit windows xp will NOT see the extra gig of ram, since it only supports up to 2 gigs (from what ive read), and i am not sure if 64 bit windows xp works on the new 64 bit macbook pro. I only have a gig of ram and i could most likely run everything you said with ease, and i have a slower processor and less ram. There are no software or hardware issues or compatibility problems, and i have to say that out of all of the computers i have ever used, my macbook pro runs windows the best. Go for it, after having OS X and Windows on the same amazing machine, i wont ever be going back to Sony, HP, Dell, or anyone else. This computer is just too good, and i wouldnt go with anything else.

 

To Macpilot:

 

The macbook, form what ive seen, runs windows well, too. It is basically the same as a macbook pro hardware wise (sans the graphics card) and should be just fine even with the lowest configuration.

[GBK.Xscape]

to run Vista native you are going to have to wait a litlle while for apple to support becuase as of now the only way to run vista on a mac is to do it in parallels.

[non sequitur]

not true. it doesnt support it, but it can be done.

[br0adband]

Gotta love the irony of that...

 

BootCamp, an unsupported technology for running Windows XP on a Mac, doesn't support an operating system that presently isn't really available for general use, and if you choose to acquire it and install it you can't get support from Microsoft because you're installing a still relatively unsupported OS on a totally unsupported machine running unsupported software that lets you run the relatively unsupported Windows OS on that same unsupported hardware.

 

Is that nutz or what?

 

bb

[Willwander]

All them Beta's and no support. good point. Luckily for me it doesnt really matter.

 

Well just an update. I decided to give one a try, so this is my first post from my new macbook pro 17"

 

First Impressions of MacBook Pro(From a hard core windows programmer)

- Its a Joy, I want to hug it

 

First impressions on moving to mac hardware (and wanting to use this machine for windows dev)

- Keyboard. its lovely to use, but coming from windows i seem to be missing a few keys (wheres 'delete key') also the @ and " is switched, which coming from the UK is an arse. Is there a UK and US keyboard and I got a US one or something. any way I'm playing hunt the key at the moment

 

right back to play

[Willwander]

oh, and its fast. very. still smiling.

[GBK.Xscape]

what i meant by that it only works in parallels is that parallels is the only way that vista so far has been meant to run on a mac, not bootcamp yet.

[drval]

I'm a windows developer too and have a macbook pro, first edition dual core, 2 GB RAM, 2.16 GHz CPU -- and I think it's great.

 

Use Fn+Delete for "windows" delete and right "Apple" key+click for right click. This is if you've installed Boot Camp v.1.1.2. I'm still waiting for "tap the touchpad" to = left click... ;-)