Running a few non web programs

I'm in the mechanical trades, and I would like to run John Siegenthalers hydronics and heat loss calculator programs on any or all of my macs.
A look at the specific software, Here.... Downloadable Software / Appropriate Designs Online Store
I believe its pretty simple and no need for the net to use. It's not a tool I use everyday, but for sizing estimating/quotes when those jobs come up.
So I've read thru a lot of the stickies and boot amp versus parallels and VM's. And feel I am making it or understanding to be way more difficult than what it probably is. As I found out when I upgraded my MBP hard rive and OS to 10.6.8.
I guess I'm concerned with spending hundreds to make use of more hundreds of dollars of software , that might be to difficult and thus me not using my investment. I'm having a hard time understanding all the do this and that to make XP work ( as was recommended by the software developer) and not being able to upgrade to mavericks.
It would be nice to use my iPad on the job to plug in sizes and data to provide customers with a professional and accurate quote. But I can use the MBP also if we get the wife a new Mac for work at home. Thanks , and I'll keep reading in the meantime...

Your question is a good one. Unfortunately, I can't guarantee the program (which is quite expensive) will run well enough in a VM. I suspect it will but you won't really know until you try.

What I suggest is instead of purchasing Parallels or VMWare, that you download and install the free VirtualBox VM software from Oracle. The download link is here. If you already have a full install copy of Windows XP (should be SP3) you can try to see if the software will run OK in the VM.

If it doesn't, just remove VirtualBox and use the Boot Camp assistant to setup a dual boot on your machine and install Windows XP SP3 (full install). One thing to note... if you decide to buy your wife a new Mac and install the software on the new Mac, you can not use Windows XP. The minimum version of Windows that will run on newer Macs is Windows 7 SP1.

Many thanks for the quick reply.
Question on the XP with sp3. I have a copy from my pre Mac days that came with the PC, then another copy from a PC builder friend. Or is it best to just buy an all new OEM disc copy as it was called in the stickies thread?

If and this is a big IF, I understood right, some were setting everything up or had BC &XP , parallel&XP, with SL and then upgraded to mavericks with no ill effects.

I'm assuming the CAD pipe program can't be that much as far as resources go, I mean its just pipes , pumps and boilers. But what do I really know when it comes to software. Then the hydronic designer does have all kinds of calculations of fluid flow, head loss and estimated fuel usage.
The heat load pro is basically a spreadsheet excel. Thanks again.

Will the oracle be an easy process?
I still have nightmares of when I had to reinstall XP and the constant battle to get the updates or sp3 loaded before I was infected. Like a race....

You can use your copy of XP SP3 as long as it will activate. And yes, an OEM system builder full install will work just fine. I have a copy of that myself and it installed with no trouble.

As far as installing Oracle VirtualBox, it's fairly straight forward. It doesn't have all the frills that Parallels or VMWare has, but it saves you $60 - $70 since it's free. Once you have VB installed, installing XP is pretty much the same as installing it on a Windows machine.