virtualbox vs fusion and parallels

[mac_shinobi]

saw virtualbox on one of webmans posts a while back and was just curious how it compares to fusion or parallels.

[kingswood]

Hi Shane,

Actually I like Virtualbox a lot. It's fast, has some cool features but lacks one essential one (for me at least): bridging. If you are going to use your virtual machines to form a "learning network" with domain controllers etc., then you need Parallels or VMWare Fusion (the 2.x beta is best because you can have multiple snapshots etc).

If you are simply going to run an XP VM for the sake of using applications you have for XP that have no equivalent on the Mac, then Virtualbox is more than fine (and free).

Hope that helps a little,

Paul

[mac_shinobi]

yeah it does - looks like the vmware fusion option. Will use virtualbox to start with and get vmware fusion a bit later on.

Just ordered my mac pro online as we speak so if all goes well i should get it in a week or two

Airport extreme, apple care, wireless keyboard and mouse and nvidia 8800GT other then that took all the defaults ie 2 quad core 2.8ghz , 2 gigs of ram etc.

Wish I had the extra money to get the raid card and some SAS drives.

[Ric_]

VirtualBox does bridging! I love it!

Sun have just bought it up but of course offer it gratis and the open source edition is still available (I think the only difference is the branding). VirtualBox (or Sun xVM VirtualBox to give it its proper name) gives you all the usual nifty virtualisation features - snapshots, multiple network configs, audio and USB redirection, etc., etc.

[kingswood]

VirtualBox does bridging! I love it!

Sun have just bought it up but of course offer it gratis and the open source edition is still available (I think the only difference is the branding). VirtualBox (or Sun xVM VirtualBox to give it its proper name) gives you all the usual nifty virtualisation features - snapshots, multiple network configs, audio and USB redirection, etc., etc.

Bridging works right now from Linux, Solaris and Windows. But it isn't yet implemented in the OS X version (though they do have it on the "to do" list of features they would like to add).

virtualbox.org :: View topic - Any news on when bridged networking will make it to the Mac?

Take care,

Paul