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Microsoft releases Virtual PC 7 with Windows XP Pro

updated 12:05 am EDT, Tue October 5, 2004

MS releases Virtual PC 7

Microsoft today announced the immediately availability of reported by MacNN last week. Virtual PC allows Mac users to run Microsoft Windows and work with PC-only software, files, networks and devices directly on their Macs. Version 7 brings much-anticipated G5 support, improved performance by up to 30%, better graphics handling, "Fast Save" to quickly save the PC state in the background, a new setup assistant for installation, easier printing with zero-configuration under Mac OS X 10.3 Panther, and more. Virtual PC 7 with Windows XP Pro is $250, while Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Pro Edition is $500. An upgrade version of Office 2004 Pro Edition is also available for $330.

Other editions of Virtual PC 7, including Virtual PC 7 with Windows XP Home Edition, Windows 2000 Professional, Standalone and Upgrade, will be available over the next few months, according to the company. Virtual PC 7 and Office 2004 Professional are availabe now in English. The company said that it would soon release details on availability in French, German, Japanese and Swedish versions.

by MacNN Staff

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eddd
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Dec 2001

0

10/05, 01:26am | report spam | close Reply |
you forgot

you forgot the "Virtual PC Ballmer Edition" which is to be found free on your local Gnutella / Kazaa network. After all, Apple users are now widely known as thieves, so why not crash the party?

redwood
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 2003

0

10/05, 01:59am | report spam | close Reply |
huh?

What the duce are you talking about

himself
Mac Elite

Joined: Jan 2002

0

10/05, 02:58am | report spam | close Reply |
Do you read the news...?

He's talking about Steve Ballmer's comment that mac users/Apple supporters are thieves because the iPod allows it's users to steal music.

John Dwight
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 1999

0

10/05, 06:26am | report spam | close Reply |
Sold

I'll buy it just to check web pages. Where'd all the cool new features go?

Speaking of Ballmer, where did that web vid of his famous "developers, developers" set to music go? I can't Google is anywhere.

Simon
Posting Junkie

Joined: Nov 2000

0

10/05, 07:28am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Sold

Just google for 'monkey dance' or go to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Ballmer

eswinson
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2002

0

10/05, 08:25am | report spam | close Reply |
about time

It is about time VP7 came out. I think MS had to hire back all the engineers that remembered how a real PC was supposed to work so they could emulate it. They have spent the last several years worrying about everyone else�s business that they forgot that office and windows pays their bills.

On another note:

my home cd player and tape deck allows me to steal music too... I guess sony and bose support piracy too.

I think I will convert all my ill-gotten mp3 files to .WMA so I will be ready to play them on MS�s new player that the whole world is going to run out and buy the instant it is released.

Lyra
Forum Regular

Joined: Jul 2000

0

10/05, 08:35am | report spam | close Reply |
I knew it...

I knew it as soon as Micro$oft bought VPC, it was to mess with Apple and the apple community. Since I got my G5, ever since that time, I have not been able to use VPC. But the great thing about it is, that it left me looking for something that could replace VPC. And I found it for free...

MS bought that just to frell with Apple users, and then to think they invest in wise ideas and products... Uh why not use that money and time to better Windoze... After all it is decades behind apple...

I guess they think like Bush... I wonder how much control they have in MS?

mgpalma
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2000

0

10/05, 09:24am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: I knew it...

"I guess they think like Bush... I wonder how much control they have in MS?"

I think some people just sit around all day looking for reasons to hate President Bush. Don't people have anything better to do? Why does everything have to involve politics?

Michael
Our country would be a much better place if we all didn't take the attitude 'it's my way, or the highway.'

Clive
Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Jan 2001

0

10/05, 10:29am | report spam | close Reply |
That's why

>Our country would be a much better place if
>we all didn't take the attitude 'it's my way, or the highway.'

Isn't that why everyone hates Bush... and Blair?

Anyway, just what/where is this free version of VPC?

marmotton
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2004

0

10/05, 11:07am | report spam | close Reply |
No improvement

Just received mine yesterday. I installed VPC 7 (Win XP Pro) on a Powerbook (1.5 GHz, 2GB RAM, 128 MB video RAM) and it is as sluggish and unusable as ever. Absolutely no improvement whatsover over the previous version. Unless you have a G5 and and/or an absolute need for it, don't waste your money on it.

My $0.02.

MM

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

10/05, 11:38am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: No improvement

What, you were expecting a miracle?

Oh, and that post by mgpalma was hilarious! "My way or the highway". Priceless...

CambAngst
Forum Regular

Joined: Aug 2003

0

10/05, 11:46am | report spam | close Reply |
> 2 GB RAM bug

Several outlets are reporting that there's a bug that makes it crash constantly on G5's with more than 2 GB of RAM.

Cf
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2002

0

10/05, 11:55am | report spam | close Reply |
ok

"Why does everything have to involve politics?"
because quite a bit in life really does. it's one of the points we need to drive into young voters minds so they understand why they should be interested in politics and vote.

as for vpc 7, i've heard for weeks now that it wouldn't have any speed improvements and i've noticed i don't use my 6.x as much anymore because of sluggishness. well, that and i hate the windows experience. can i downgrade any and maybe get some performance back? what I don't understand is why it takes "the next few months" to get versions with xp home and win 2k out.

datkinso
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2002

0

10/05, 12:22pm | report spam | close Reply |
I'll take it.

Finally. My employer steadfastly uses WordPerfect. At least now I will be able to get some work done using my G5.

mgpalma
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2000

0

10/05, 12:28pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re:That's why

Gross generalizations are never wise to use, especially considering you only need to look at polls from the major media outlets to know that your statement is completely inaccurate. Anyway, I choose not to live in a world of hatred, but others choose differently. Such is life.

rtbarry
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

10/05, 01:29pm | report spam | close Reply |
install win2K yourself

once you have vpc, you can install win2k or any other software yourself. winXP is a horrible bloated beast. win2k runs much smoother. find a copy and try it out - you don't have to wait for M$ to release it as a bundle.

however, if you're on a dual G5, even winXP works really well.

Sydney Tsai
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Feb 2002

0

10/05, 02:11pm | report spam | close Reply |
Yes and no

>What, you were expecting a miracle?
I expecting less crappy than the old version.

Cf
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2002

0

10/05, 03:16pm | report spam | close Reply |
actually

rbarry, yes exactly my thoughts. it makes me think they are either pushing xp pro first to make some extra cash or there is something they need to do to xp home and win2k to make them play nice with vpc 7. again, i just don't understand why they are putting off other versions of windows for a few months if we can do our own installs to begin with. i'm pretty sure vpc 7 with win2k included instead of xp pro costs less. just a quirk i don't get in this whole release.

as for my way or the highway
bush campaign: my way or your kids will die
many bush supporters (no not all of em): don't like it, get out of the country

Paco500
Professional Poster

Joined: Apr 2000

0

10/05, 03:47pm | report spam | close Reply |
Comparison

I've benn using since early last week (didn't even realize I got it early, came from CDW) on a 1.3 GHZ PB, 1.5 GB of RAM and I do find it to be noticeably faster than v6, which I had been running. Not to say that it's speedy, but to say there is NO improvement is, by my observation, incorrect.

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

10/05, 04:11pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Yes and no

-What, you were expecting a miracle?
I expecting less crappy than the old version.

From Microsoft? Well, I guess anything is possible. But it sounds like people expecting the politicians they elect not to be a bunch of self-serving theives out for their and their party's good, not their constituents.

Ah, to be naive again...

mtroute
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2002

0

10/05, 04:41pm | report spam | close Reply |
total BS

if they would only produce Streets & Trips for the Mac I would have no need for this shite....

mgpalma
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2000

0

10/05, 04:49pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: actually

bush campaign: my way or your kids will die

Last I checked people volunteered to join the armed services. If you don't want to fight, don't join the military-just like any other job. Last poll of military personnel showed 75% believed strongly that we were doing the right thing in Iraq. So what do you say to those kids? Their opinion doesn't count (the highway quote comes to mind)?

many bush supporters (no not all of em): don't like it, get out of the country

Who, get out of what country? It doesn't really matter and this has absolutely nothing to do with VirtualPC 7, which I greeted with a big yawn.

Ciao!

jonbwfc1
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2003

0

10/05, 05:06pm | report spam | close Reply |
Free equivalents..

Well, depends exactly what you want. I find DosBOX and Radnor a great combination for running DOS stuff. The emulation isn't great in terms of newer stuff though, so it might not be best for emuing windows. Anyway, it's all free as far as I know.

DosBox : http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14973
Radnor : http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14936

Someone confirm something - Radnor's icon is from the old dos Dune game, right?

Jon

Cf
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2002

0

10/05, 05:07pm | report spam | close Reply |
re:

Paco, glad someone is getting some boost out of it. Maybe I will give it a chance once it hits the public full swing and we can get some more feedback on the performance.

once again i have been misinterpreted. why can't people read?
ok mgpalma, i was not referring to military service, but rather, to the repeated reference to the fact that if Kerry is elected we will be attacked again, appealing to mothers everywhere in the terms of "your kids will die" instead of simply my way or the highway. I am sorry i could not have presented it clearer to you initially. as for your big yawn, well, you did take on the highway quote which had nothing to do with vpc to begin with before i even had a chance. staying on topic is a hard thing to do when both of us keep going back and forth leaving something open ended to answer. I felt I had to clarify the first point and with that, I am finished with this. See ya tomorrow morning MacNN! More news to read!

cgnorwood
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Dec 2002

0

10/05, 06:19pm | report spam | close Reply |
Killed my G%

Tried three times to install VP7 on my 2.5-G5. Each time as XP stried to start up the "grey mulitlanguage screen of death" appeared. I've tried removing all prior installations, removing every file that even hinted it was associated with Virtual PC, no luck. Call to M$ yielded long wait, promise to call back in two hours (actually, 6, when I had left for the day) and no joy at all. This is the only reason I bought the professional edition of Office 2004, and it seems to have been a poor decision. Any ideas why this shold occur? Is it really true that M$ has put out some defective installation disks?

Cadaver
Addicted to MacNN

Joined: Jan 2003

0

10/05, 07:22pm | report spam | close Reply |
Crash w/ more than 2GB

I've heard that VPC7 will crash on a G5 with more than 2GB of RAM.
Can anyone confirm?

phillymjs
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2000

0

10/05, 11:01pm | report spam | close Reply |
Wait, I'm confused...

So, it's long overdue, and important features were stripped out so it could be shipped sooner?

Are we talking about VPC, or Longhorn?

"Microsoft: Late & Lousy."

Randycat99
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

0

10/06, 12:50am | report spam | close Reply |
M$ or OSX?

As much as it pains me to say this, the signs are clear that any "sluggishness" that is apparent in VPC these days comes as a consequence of running in the OSX environment, not that M$ is now developing it (believe me, I ain't happy about this ownership, at all...). If you run VPC 4 (Connectix) side by side with VPC 6 (M$) in Mac OS 9.1 (or any Classic style environment, but not TruBlu), the speed and responsiveness are nearly equal, if at all different. It is unavoidable to conclude that it is OSX that introduces a major speed hit, unfortunately.

Randycat99
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

0

10/06, 01:06am | report spam | close Reply |
M$ or OSX? cont.

To elaborate on the kind of OSX speed hit we are talking about, a BW G3 350 running VPC in OS 9.1 seemingly runs circles around a G4 800 running VPC in 10.3.4, in responsivesness. Both are running with "plenty" of memory available for the app. Actual computational speed on persistant tasks on these platforms may be a bit closer, but the gut feel is that the BW G3 350 MHz and OS 9.1 ends up actually as the more desireable platform to run in this comparo- a pathetic 350 MHz from 1990-something!

I would liken the performance of OSX VPC to that of VPC 3.x running on top machines of that era. FWIW, an OS install on OSX VPC may take *hours* whereas the same in OS 9.1 VPC will take about *an* hour.

gbradhopkins
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2004

0

10/06, 11:14am | report spam | close Reply |
Delay for Tech Guarantee?

I ordered the MS Office Professional Suite with the Tech Guarantee Upgrade. I called MS yesterday and they said that it would be 4 - 6 weeks before VPC7 shipped? Anyone else have that experience?

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

10/06, 03:49pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: M$ or OSX

Actually, part of the problem here is comparing an earlier product (which may not have as many features, or in the case of VPC, as well integrated) with a later version, AND a product running on a Cooperative OS (OS 9, so VPC can get all the processor cycles it wants) vs a Preemptive OS (where it has to share, no matter what). That last part alone probably accounts for some of the 'slowness'. Not to mention that, theoretically, OS X protects the hardware layer more than OS 9, so VPC for OS X has to go through more layers to do hardware tasks.

the Rebel
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2000

0

10/22, 03:19am | report spam | close Reply |
re: actually

cfwagoner : "i was not referring to military service, but rather, to the repeated reference to the fact that if Kerry is elected we will be attacked again."

That is a frequent misrepresentation of what has been said.

Terrorists will attack us again regardless of who is president. The issue is not about whether or not we will be attacked.

The problem started in September when excerpts of some of Cheney's statements were taken out of context. Because Cheney was kind of rambling a bit, it was easy for people to twist the meaning.

Cheney said "the danger is that we'll get hit again...and that we'll fall back into the pre-9/11 mind-set...that in fact these terrorist attacks are just criminal acts, and that we're not really at war. I think that would be a terrible mistake for us."

However, people continue to misrepresent him by claiming that he said we would be attacked if Kerry is elected.

The issue is not about whether or not we will be attacked if Kerry is elected. The issue is about how Kerry would deal with an attack if he were president.

the Rebel
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2000

-1

10/22, 03:33am | report spam | close Reply |
FYI

If you objectively employ quality reading comprehension skills then you will see that my previous post accurately reflects the situation.

Here is the full quote with all subordinate clauses included :

"It�s absolutely essential that eight weeks from today, on November 2, we make the right choice, because if we make the wrong choice, then the danger is that we'll get hit again, that we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States, and that we'll fall back into the pre-9/11 mind-set, if you will, that in fact these terrorist attacks are just criminal acts, and that we're not really at war. I think that would be a terrible mistake for us."

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Microsoft releases Virtual PC 7 with Windows XP Pro

updated 12:05 am EDT, Tue October 5, 2004

MS releases Virtual PC 7

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you forgot

huh?

Do you read the news...?

Sold

Re: Sold

about time

I knew it...

Re: I knew it...

That's why

No improvement

Re: No improvement

> 2 GB RAM bug

ok

I'll take it.

Re:That's why

install win2K yourself

Yes and no

actually

Comparison

Re: Yes and no

total BS

re: actually

Free equivalents..

re:

Killed my G%

Crash w/ more than 2GB

Wait, I'm confused...

M$ or OSX?

M$ or OSX? cont.

Delay for Tech Guarantee?

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