There is a long list of reasons one might want to use Windows on a Mac, and they are different for everyone. For myself, I needed to access IE/Windows enviroment to:

Also, there was the fear factor. Since I was a new Mac user switching from PC, it felt more comfortable knowing that if the transition to Mac took a while, my productivity didn’t have to suffer as long as my familiar Windows environment was still easily accessible. Fortunately, the basic learning curve on the Mac OS ended up being quite simple!

When I had to decide which software I was going to use to run Windows on my Mac, the popular choice among most users were between using Parallels Desktop or Boot Camp. After reading the differences of the two, I chose Parallels, mostly because I prefer the idea of running Windows and Mac simultaneously instead of having to reboot and load Windows separately in Boot Camp. This way, like any other application, Windows XP is only one click away.

If you want to learn more about running Windows on a Mac, EveryMac has an amazing list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the entire process. A few examples include:

• Why run Windows on the Mac?
• Will a Mac running Windows be subject to Windows viruses/spyware?
• Can you play Windows games on an Intel-based Mac?
• Can you “copy and paste” between MacOS X and Windows?

You may be wondering how difficult it is to install Windows XP on your Mac. It was shockingly simple using Parallels. If you are leaning towards using their software, Dave Taylor has an easy to understand tutorial outlining the installation in detail.

If you are curious too see Windows running on a Mac, you could watch a short video clip or two to get the basic idea, and you can download a free 15-day trial of Parallels Desktop for Mac.

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