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- Sep 26, 2011
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Hey folks -
I've long been a Windows/web based dev, and I've been trying to make the switch to the Macbookpro (unsuccessfully) the past 8 months or so.
I seem to run into gotchas that prevent me from using a Mac as my primary piece of hardware. I do webdev, device dev and backend (php, asp.net, databases, SharePoint).
What I need:
1) Ability to run virtual machines
2) Ability for all devices to access virtual machines (USB, advanced networking etc)-- this is where I've run into the most issues so far with a Mac host with Virtual Box...
3) Large disk space.
4) shared r/w file system (another snag)
5) light powerful laptop with big high-res screen
I am intrigued with the new MacBookPros and it can meet most of the above - but I purchased a MacBook pro back in March and ended up returning it.
I spent countless hours trying to get bootcamp to work, after success, I didn't like the file sharing between the OSs and wasn't ready to fork out for Parallels when I couldn't get even basic tech questions answered on forums and 4 (no kidding) different phone call attempts in hours of queues and never successfully reaching a human and none of my messages in their voice mails were returned.
I don't need a partition for Windows systems, running them in a VM is fine, but I DO need devices to work. I could never get a Windows Phone 7 device to work with a VM running from Virtual Box.
So my questions:
1) Can anyone confirm that using VMware (I only attempted VirtualBox) will support ALL devices to work from USB or other interface on the MacBookPro into the virtual machine guest? Specifically, Windows Phone 7 smart phones and future tablets coming to market including Android, because I may choose to have Android dev images instead of directly on the Mac OS host.
2) Can the file system be shared read/write from within the guest VM? (I don't remember if I tried this before with the VirtualBox VMs). This is advertised with all virtual machine vendors, but I'm wondering if it is read only with Mac as with my bootcamp experience?
3) if neither of the 2 above can be confirmed to work, I guess my only option then is Parallels to meet all needs (my understanding is only Parallels supports a r/w file system both environments can use?) but I hate the idea of dual boot and partitioning and am hoping better options out there. I'm also dreading having to purchase a 3rd party product from a company that obviously hates their customers (Parallels). I've never had such a poor experience as trying to reach Parallels tech support (or even a friggen sales rep for gods sake).
thx for ideas. If someone does dev as a profession and has a similar environment using a MacBookPro, I'm interested in how you have built your environment.
I've long been a Windows/web based dev, and I've been trying to make the switch to the Macbookpro (unsuccessfully) the past 8 months or so.
I seem to run into gotchas that prevent me from using a Mac as my primary piece of hardware. I do webdev, device dev and backend (php, asp.net, databases, SharePoint).
What I need:
1) Ability to run virtual machines
2) Ability for all devices to access virtual machines (USB, advanced networking etc)-- this is where I've run into the most issues so far with a Mac host with Virtual Box...
3) Large disk space.
4) shared r/w file system (another snag)
5) light powerful laptop with big high-res screen
I am intrigued with the new MacBookPros and it can meet most of the above - but I purchased a MacBook pro back in March and ended up returning it.
I spent countless hours trying to get bootcamp to work, after success, I didn't like the file sharing between the OSs and wasn't ready to fork out for Parallels when I couldn't get even basic tech questions answered on forums and 4 (no kidding) different phone call attempts in hours of queues and never successfully reaching a human and none of my messages in their voice mails were returned.
I don't need a partition for Windows systems, running them in a VM is fine, but I DO need devices to work. I could never get a Windows Phone 7 device to work with a VM running from Virtual Box.
So my questions:
1) Can anyone confirm that using VMware (I only attempted VirtualBox) will support ALL devices to work from USB or other interface on the MacBookPro into the virtual machine guest? Specifically, Windows Phone 7 smart phones and future tablets coming to market including Android, because I may choose to have Android dev images instead of directly on the Mac OS host.
2) Can the file system be shared read/write from within the guest VM? (I don't remember if I tried this before with the VirtualBox VMs). This is advertised with all virtual machine vendors, but I'm wondering if it is read only with Mac as with my bootcamp experience?
3) if neither of the 2 above can be confirmed to work, I guess my only option then is Parallels to meet all needs (my understanding is only Parallels supports a r/w file system both environments can use?) but I hate the idea of dual boot and partitioning and am hoping better options out there. I'm also dreading having to purchase a 3rd party product from a company that obviously hates their customers (Parallels). I've never had such a poor experience as trying to reach Parallels tech support (or even a friggen sales rep for gods sake).
thx for ideas. If someone does dev as a profession and has a similar environment using a MacBookPro, I'm interested in how you have built your environment.
