I'm getting a little confused between what I read here and in books and software information.
Do you have to install BootCamp ? or can you just install Parallels and use that with WIN XP.
Reading indicates that Parallels will work without BootCamp installed is that correct?
Yes, Parallels will work without BootCamp. And BootCamp will work without Paralles, or with the newer version of Parallels, you can use both together if you wish.
It depends on what you want to do. If you want to run pc games, then you will want to use Bootcamp because you will be booting windows just like your a pc and games will work for you. Parallels will not run most windows games, or at least i haven't been able to get it to work yet. Could be that I am just not doing it right. I have tried Medal Of Honor, Call Of Duty, Battlefield 1942. Brothers In Arms...
However, if you are mostly running programs, Parallels will run most windows programs quite well and you have the advantage of switching back and forth from windows to OSX.
I find on my Mac Pro using Parallels that it actually seems to run windows and windows programs a little bit faster than they do on my pc with an Amd 64 processor.