I’ve known about virtualization as a concept for awhile now, but I’ve never really had a chance to experience it first hand. Let me tell you, it is positively surreal.
Yep, that’s Windows XP running inside a window on Mac OSX.
To accomplish this small feat, all one has to do is grab a copy of the very excellent Parallels Desktop, which allows you to install various operating systems (everything from Windows 95 to BeOS) on your Mac in "virtual machines." A virtual machine is exactly what it sounds like; it’s a software representation of an actual physical computer. Each virtual machine you spawn has its own distinct operating system and specifications, so you can simulate all kinds of interesting software/hardware scenarios if you’re feeling adventurous.
Getting the whole thing set up was surprisingly simple. Once i’d installed Parallels, all I had to do was create a new virtual machine and decide what OS to install on it. There’s already a default configuration available for Windows XP and Windows Vista (which I suppose are the two most popular choices) so you will not be called upon to make many big decisions. You will still need to obtain your own copy of the relevant software, but that goes without saying.
Interestingly enough, Windows XP installation took less time on a virtual machine running on Mac OSX than it did on an actual physical one. A process that normally takes about 45 minutes was over in about half that time. I did hit a blue screen of death on my first run though, which was another very surreal experience for me. (The BSOD crashed my virtual machine and forced me to restart it, although nothing on MacOS seemed to be affected. ITunes was still playing and my torrent files were still downloading. Crazy, I tell you.)
Now I guess the question foremost on your mind would be "Why exactly would I want to run Windows — virtual or otherwise — on a Macbook?" The short answer is, simply, because you can.
The longer, slightly less juvenile, one makes the case that there are a crapload of applications out there that will never be available for MacOS, and this allows you to experience them in some form. And if you’re a web designer, Parallels allows you a quick way to check your work for Internet Explorer-related issues, without having to go through all the hassles of networking with a separate Windows rig.
As you can probably imagine, there are some performance penalties involved in running a virtual machine, so it’s unlikely your virtual Windows will be very gaming-capable. (I’ll know this for certain once I’ve gotten a copy of Doom 3 or Quake IV installed on it, both of which I’ve been vainly trying to get working on MacOS.) On the other hand, what else are you gonna do with those 2.33 Ghz dual-cores right?