MadCap Software Forums

Can a Mac user report on how well Flare works on a Macintosh, using Parallels? I have found a few comments by searching these forums, but I'd love to hear comments and advice on the overall experience.

So far I've learned:

*It works!
*Parallels with Vista was annoying enough to make one user set up Parallels with XP instead,
*Occasionally, Flare had trouble talking to files stored on network drives under Parallels

What I'd like to know:

*Is it as fast as running Flare on a PC?
*Are there certain features in Flare that don't work or inconveniences caused by using Parallels?
*Is installation and ongoing update/maintenance of the software a big headache?
*Other impressions? What was your reason for using Parallels over a PC?

Hello -- Not sure how useful my reply will be, and yet.... here it is, anyway. I'm working on a freelance basis, in a very part-time way. The project I'm working on has been delayed several times, so I haven't done a lot yet.

My configuration:
-- Intel-based iMac, 2GHz processor, 2GB RAM. Leopard 10.5.2.
-- Parallels 3.0, build 5584 (I think; I've installed it multiple times, but the About... window swears it's still build 5582).
-- Flare 3.1
-- XP sp2

Re: *Is it as fast as running Flare on a PC?
I've only used it on a Mac. However, I've noticed no speed differences between Office 2007/Windows and Office 2004/Mac.

*Are there certain features in Flare that don't work or inconveniences caused by using Parallels?
Not that I know of. When I was running Vista, I lost my network connection about every 20 minutes or so. I can't blame that on Flare, though. When the Flare project was in a folder shared with the Mac (which either Windows or Parallels interpreted as a network drive), the Content Explorer and other lists would not dynamically update themselves. Moving the files to the c:\ drive took care of that.

If you have system-level keyboard shortcuts set up in your Mac OS, they will take precedence over the Flare shortcuts. For example, I use F12 in the Mac OS for the Dashboard. F12 is the Flare shortcut to open the Styles pane. I don't think you can customize the Flare shortcuts, so if you want to use them, you may need to adjust your Mac OS shortcuts.

*Is installation and ongoing update/maintenance of the software a big headache?
So far... well, yes, at least for installation. See these posts for the whole story: http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewto ... els#p29743
http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewto ... 678#p29678

If you run Parallels in Coherence mode, then your Windows apps are just another application. You can use your Windows and Macs apps at the same time, from the same desktop. If you use Bootcamp, then it's just like you're on a Windows box. To use your Mac as Mac, you have to reboot. It's the simple things -- like wanting to read my e-mail in one place only -- that make Parallels really neat.

My previous post did not address this last part of beagley's earlier post:

beagley wrote:*Other impressions? What was your reason for using Parallels over a PC?

I've used both Macs and PCs since the late '80s, which means I'm feeling old and grey right now. For several years, I had one of each, side by side, on my desk. I just prefer Macs. I prefer the OS, the look and feel, the complete lack of the BSOD, and so on. I *don't* like the higher price and the scarcity of apps. My work now is strictly freelance, so I can choose what I use. I already had a Mac, yet Win-based opportunities kept coming my way. I've used Boot Camp (and it works very well), but I like to use both Mac and Win apps concurrently, so I went for a virtual solution. I have heard good things about VMWare's Fusion and Parallels; I wasn't able to talk to a Fusion user and did find a few happy Parallels users, so I opted for Parallels. Another poster mentioned that Fusion is better than Parallels, but I do not know specifics.

This veers into OT-land, but further explains my preference: Many years ago, months after the third carpal tunnel surgery, my job moved from a 60/40 Mac/Win mix to 100% windows, and CT problems developed yet again. Wondering if the change was the cause, I borrowed a Mac from a colleague and began counting how many "user actions" (clicks, keys, mouse movements) activities that I performed often in FrameMaker and Word required on both platforms (back when FM ran natively on a Mac). Win versions often required more than 2x the number of actions. Multiply that by a day or a week, then add in the $ the company was spending in worker's comp, and .... they moved me back to a 60/40 mix. I could again feel something other than tingling in my fingers. (I do not wish to start a platform battle, only explain why I'm willing to shell out the $ for my setup.) These diffs may no longer exist, and UIs have changed dramatically over the years.

Definitely OT: If you are experiencing carpal tunnel problems or tendinitis that is related to keyboarding, you might be interested in the way cool ergonomic keyboards offered by Kinesis -- these are not the typical "split" keyboard, but have unique designs. http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/

The Macs know the BSOD as well, see here: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/27 ... _problems/

phooey. *That* news doesn't make me happy.

As the abovementioned BSOD occurs only during upgrades to Leopard, I'll change "complete lack of BSOD" to "the lack of BSOD during normal, day-to-day activities".