However committed you are to your Mac, there are times when you might need to run an .exe file, or come across an online service that’s not Mac compatible. I recently came across a US website download of software covering workplace health and safety assessment for IT users only to find it a PC executable file. If only I’d had Virtual PC 4 (VPC) for Mac from Connectix. With this installed on your machine, switching operating systems from Mac to Windows ‘98 is just a mouse click away and checking out downloaded PC software is wonderfully straightforward. I returned to the Hamp;S software armed with VPC only to find it was next to useless, but it put an end to any worries that, as a Mac user, I had missed out on something good.

VPC allows me to run Windows ‘98 on both my iMac and iBook. Connectix recommends 50Mb of RAM minimum when running VPC, but as I found it slow with 64Mb, I recommend at least 128Mb. It also needs 1Gb of hard disk and Mac operating system (OS) 8.5 or higher. When used with OS 9, VPC automatically provides support for USB devices in the Windows environment.

Installation of the software is stunningly straightforward. Within minutes of opening the box, I was surfing the Net. The software used the Internet settings in place on the Mac without me having to provide it with domain name server information or network addresses. What’s more the software works really well. Switching OS is easy and sharing files between MacOS and Windows is no problem.

Schools with the capability to run both Mac OS and Windows get the best of both worlds, being able to use educational software written for only the Mac or PC without having to have access to two types of machine. The dual OS gives access to industry strength software in its native environment, such as graphics and publishing packages on the Mac and specialist computer assisted learning packages on the PC. Being able to run all the school software on one box also means that each machine gets high levels of use and so provides the best possible return on investment.

East Lothian Council has provided Apple iBooks for schools with VPC 4 installed alongside curriculum and productivity software. It sees a clear benefit in having a consistent multiple OS environment as it makes management of the resource straightforward. A multiple OS solution also allows users access to their favoured OS without the additional investment in hardware.

When a product works this well, at just pound;89, it’s essential to making your Mac mainstream.

Virtual PC for MacOS by Connectix Price: pound;85 + VAT for education establishmentswww.connectix.com Les Watson is director of learning and information resources at Glasgow Caledonian University Email: les@gcal.ac.uk

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