using my Mac for Windows based online education

[g***@officeformac.com]

Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

Hi, I posted this question in another forum but got no replies, think maybe it was the wrong forum for topic. My issue is that I am going to be doing an on-line Masters program. I have included the minimum requirements that I need to have in a computer. At the end you will notice "no Macintosh". What I want to know is if it is possible to make my Mac have these requirements or be compatible with them?? Thanks for any advice anyone may have.

The following is a list of the MINIMUM computer equipment necessary for the Web-
based programs:

• PC System – Minimum of 2 GHz processor (CPU) or equivalent with Windows XP
Home or better (3.2 GHz CPU or better with Windows XP Professional is optimal)
• Minimum of 512 MB RAM
• 15" or larger CRT or Flat Panel Monitor with video display card capable of
displaying at least 65,000 colors at 800x600 resolution with minimum 75 MHz
flicker-free refresh rate
• 10 GB or more of free hard disk space (20 GB or more recommended)
• 16X CD-ROM drive (24X or faster highly recommended; combo CD/DVD
player/burner for backups also recommended)
• Newest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer browser
• Microsoft Office 2007 Standard Suite or higher with Word, Excel and PowerPoint
(Microsoft Works is NOT acceptable)
• Newest version of Virus Protection program with subscription that supports automatic
weekly updates (such as McAfee Virus Scan or Norton AntiVirus)
• Newest version of Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express
• Newest version of RealPlayer and/or Windows Media Player plug-in
• Newest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in
• 24 bit Sound Card and speakers
• Printer
• Dedicated Internet Connection and Internet Service Provider
(Minimum: DSL, wireless, or cable modem broadband, with router-based firewall
protection. A 56 kbps or higher modem with dedicated telephone line can be used for
online course access if absolutely necessary, but will be inadequate for most
supporting study materials.)
• No Macintosh

[Steve Jain [MVP]]

Post by g***@officeformac.com
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel
Hi, I posted this question in another forum but got no replies, think maybe it was the wrong forum for topic. My issue is that I am going to be doing an on-line Masters program. I have included the minimum requirements that I need to have in a computer. At the end you will notice "no Macintosh". What I want to know is if it is possible to make my Mac have these requirements or be compatible with them?? Thanks for any advice anyone may have.
The following is a list of the MINIMUM computer equipment necessary for the Web-
• PC System – Minimum of 2 GHz processor (CPU) or equivalent with Windows XP
Home or better (3.2 GHz CPU or better with Windows XP Professional is optimal)
• Minimum of 512 MB RAM
• 15" or larger CRT or Flat Panel Monitor with video display card capable of
displaying at least 65,000 colors at 800x600 resolution with minimum 75 MHz
flicker-free refresh rate
• 10 GB or more of free hard disk space (20 GB or more recommended)
• 16X CD-ROM drive (24X or faster highly recommended; combo CD/DVD
player/burner for backups also recommended)
• Newest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer browser
• Microsoft Office 2007 Standard Suite or higher with Word, Excel and PowerPoint
(Microsoft Works is NOT acceptable)
• Newest version of Virus Protection program with subscription that supports automatic
weekly updates (such as McAfee Virus Scan or Norton AntiVirus)
• Newest version of Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express
• Newest version of RealPlayer and/or Windows Media Player plug-in
• Newest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in
• 24 bit Sound Card and speakers
• Printer
• Dedicated Internet Connection and Internet Service Provider
(Minimum: DSL, wireless, or cable modem broadband, with router-based firewall
protection. A 56 kbps or higher modem with dedicated telephone line can be used for
online course access if absolutely necessary, but will be inadequate for most
supporting study materials.)

Microsoft Virtual PC will not work on an Intel Mac.
Your options are BootCamp to run Windows on your hardware. Parallels
Desktop and VMWare Fusion will allow you to run Windows in a VM.
BootCamp will get you closest to a real Windows machine.

[M***@officeformac.com]

Steve is correct, bootcamp will enable you to partition your mac to act like an XP machine, but you need to install xp on that side, but you will have to have a "ligit" copy of xp, preinstalled xp will on a windows machine will run against problems in getting the prod key to work. Parallels or Crossover will get you only a "half-baked" solution.

[William Smith [MVP]]

Post by M***@officeformac.com
Steve is correct, bootcamp will enable you to partition your mac to
act like an XP machine, but you need to install xp on that side, but
you will have to have a "ligit" copy of xp, preinstalled xp will on a
windows machine will run against problems in getting the prod key to
work. Parallels or Crossover will get you only a "half-baked"
solution.

I'd hardly call Parallels "half-baked". On My MacBook Pro with 4GB RAM
(1.5 dedicated to my Windows virtual machine), I get great performance
running my test Windows Server and Vista (not at the same time).

Is parallels made to run shooter games? Probably not. But for work that
requires Office, RealPlayer and Acrobat Reader, Parallels is just fine.

[Fred Horvat]

There's also the free Virtual Box from Sun that I am using on a Mac mini
with great results. It's future is up in the air though with Sun being
bought out by Oracle.

I do agree that Boot Camp may be your best solution for your needs.

Post by g***@officeformac.com
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel
Hi, I posted this question in another forum but got no replies, think maybe it
was the wrong forum for topic. My issue is that I am going to be doing an
on-line Masters program. I have included the minimum requirements that I need
to have in a computer. At the end you will notice "no Macintosh". What I want
to know is if it is possible to make my Mac have these requirements or be
compatible with them?? Thanks for any advice anyone may have.
The following is a list of the MINIMUM computer equipment necessary for the Web-
• PC System – Minimum of 2 GHz processor (CPU) or equivalent with Windows XP
Home or better (3.2 GHz CPU or better with Windows XP Professional is optimal)
• Minimum of 512 MB RAM
• 15" or larger CRT or Flat Panel Monitor with video display card capable of
displaying at least 65,000 colors at 800x600 resolution with minimum 75 MHz
flicker-free refresh rate
• 10 GB or more of free hard disk space (20 GB or more recommended)
• 16X CD-ROM drive (24X or faster highly recommended; combo CD/DVD
player/burner for backups also recommended)
• Newest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer browser
• Microsoft Office 2007 Standard Suite or higher with Word, Excel and PowerPoint
(Microsoft Works is NOT acceptable)
• Newest version of Virus Protection program with subscription that supports automatic
weekly updates (such as McAfee Virus Scan or Norton AntiVirus)
• Newest version of Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express
• Newest version of RealPlayer and/or Windows Media Player plug-in
• Newest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in
• 24 bit Sound Card and speakers
• Printer
• Dedicated Internet Connection and Internet Service Provider
(Minimum: DSL, wireless, or cable modem broadband, with router-based firewall
protection. A 56 kbps or higher modem with dedicated telephone line can be used for
online course access if absolutely necessary, but will be inadequate for most
supporting study materials.)
• No Macintosh