Adobe Photoshop CS2 via Parallel

nukemm · Dec 15, 2006

I used the search, but couldn't find anything relating to Photoshop CS2 and Parallel.

Has/does anyone run CS2 via parallel? If so, how well does it work? Right now I have CS2 for the PC, and really don't want to shell out the $$$ to buy CS2 for the Mac, just in time for CS3 to come out. Another question I have is whether or not my CS2 key will allow me to buy the upgrade to CS3 for Mac.

I haven't yet bought a Mac, but I'm looking hard at the 20" and 24" iMac's, mainly because everything that I do (graphics, web design, music) says use a Mac, not a PC. This issue, however, is really the biggest hurdle for me to overcome, mainly because my wife isn't thrilled about the prospects of having to shell out several hundred $$$ to purchase a program I already have.

Thanks for the help, and sorry for the long post!

slyseeker · Dec 17, 2006

On my 24" iMac at work, I use OS X as my creative/design platform, but am required to use Parallels/Windows to run a Java server so I can test my functional Web Designs on IE. I've installed and run CS2 on Parallels, but didn't really feel it gave me an advantage over using the Rosetta'd Mac version.

A couple things:

Since you have to dedicate a sufficient amount of RAM to the Virtual OS, and depending on the amount of RAM you have on your Mac, the required amount of RAM you'll need to allow Photoshop on Windows to run efficiently may be too much to sustain how well OS X and its Apps run.
A couple things help my workflow on the Mac, esp between switching applications through Expose (depends on if you use the feature), but to me, the ease of going between, say Photoshop and Dreamweaver is far easier through mouse motions than hunting for the Dreamweaver window on the Window's task bar. But, if you're used to using Windows, you probably won't have as hard a time as I am currently having.
Load times, and Photoshop's processor heavy functioning aside, the ease of transition and use on OS X really make for a better designing experience for me.
I use CS2 on my Powerbook G4 at home, both my iMac and PB have 1.5GB of RAM, and I find that the iMac still ourperforms the PB with CS2 applications.

Basically, Photoshop CS2 on Parallels will run as well as it runs on any similar PC, but you'll have to sacrifice OS X performance since Parallels usurps whatever amount of RAM you'll specify for that OS, thus decreasing the amount of available RAM for OS X.

If you're cool with just using Windows on your Mac as your main OS, then go for it. If you're going to run Windows/Parallels CS2 with OS X apps (especially media production apps) congruently on your iMac, I'd recommend shelling out for 2 or even 3 GB of RAM.

I actually uninstalled all my design software on my copy of Windows, AND Adobe just released the Photoshop CS3 beta, which I get the impression you'll be able to get if you have a valid serial of any CS2 copy!

Good luck with your decision!

nukemm · Dec 17, 2006

slyseeker said:
On my 24" iMac at work, I use OS X as my creative/design platform, but am required to use Parallels/Windows to run a Java server so I can test my functional Web Designs on IE. I've installed and run CS2 on Parallels, but didn't really feel it gave me an advantage over using the Rosetta'd Mac version.

A couple things:

Since you have to dedicate a sufficient amount of RAM to the Virtual OS, and depending on the amount of RAM you have on your Mac, the required amount of RAM you'll need to allow Photoshop on Windows to run efficiently may be too much to sustain how well OS X and its Apps run.

A couple things help my workflow on the Mac, esp between switching applications through Expose (depends on if you use the feature), but to me, the ease of going between, say Photoshop and Dreamweaver is far easier through mouse motions than hunting for the Dreamweaver window on the Window's task bar. But, if you're used to using Windows, you probably won't have as hard a time as I am currently having.

Load times, and Photoshop's processor heavy functioning aside, the ease of transition and use on OS X really make for a better designing experience for me.

I use CS2 on my Powerbook G4 at home, both my iMac and PB have 1.5GB of RAM, and I find that the iMac still ourperforms the PB with CS2 applications.

Basically, Photoshop CS2 on Parallels will run as well as it runs on any similar PC, but you'll have to sacrifice OS X performance since Parallels usurps whatever amount of RAM you'll specify for that OS, thus decreasing the amount of available RAM for OS X.

If you're cool with just using Windows on your Mac as your main OS, then go for it. If you're going to run Windows/Parallels CS2 with OS X apps (especially media production apps) congruently on your iMac, I'd recommend shelling out for 2 or even 3 GB of RAM.

I actually uninstalled all my design software on my copy of Windows, AND Adobe just released the Photoshop CS3 beta, which I get the impression you'll be able to get if you have a valid serial of any CS2 copy!

Good luck with your decision!

Thanks for the tip. I think I might try out the CS3 beta when I get home tomorrow (stuck on the ship all day today), as I do have a valid CS2 key (although it is for the PC). I did borrow a copy of CS from a guy at work and installed it, although it is just enough different from CS2 to be a little bit cumbersome (I'm not sure how much of that is from platform differences or actual program differences).

Odin_aa · Dec 17, 2006

If you do not plan on running PS on your PC anymore Adobe will give you the MAC version or you can upgrade to the MAC version of PS3 for the cost of an upgrade.
Simply contact Adobe, their customer service is great...at least in my experience.

Adobe Photoshop CS2 via Parallel

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