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admin
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 Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:08 pm Post subject: VMware Ships Fusion 3 |
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VMware Ships Fusion 3
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Posted by: Glenn
VMware today began shipping Fusion 3, a major update to their virtualization software for Mac OS X. According to the company, this version of the software includes more than 50 new features and enhancements. Some of the highlights include:
- VMware Fusion 3 is the first to enable the full Windows 7 experience, side-by-side with your Mac, complete with Windows Aero and Flip 3D.
- Support for 4-way SMP to maximize performance on the latest iMac and Mac Pro. Lower overhead and up to 2X faster resume time for a suspended virtual machine.
- Banish the start menu and launch Windows apps from the new "always-on" applications menu, even when VMware Fusion isn't running. VMware Fusion provides convenient new ways to experience Windows applications like Mac applications.
- Built from the ground up for the Mac, VMware Fusion 3 leverages Mac OS X Snow Leopard's advanced architecture with a new 64-bit core engine and native support for the 64-bit kernel, delivering even better Windows on Mac performance.
- Support for OpenGL 2.1 and DirectX 9.0c Shader Model 3 will enable users to run their favorite 3D Windows games and applications – all without rebooting.
Registered owners of VMware Fusion 1 and 2 can upgrade to Fusion 3 for $39.99. For new users, Fusion 3 is priced at $79.99.
VMware also offers a free 30-day trial of Fusion 3. You can download it here and use the key "JN28P-7UJ8M-H8K33-0202P-9EPH4" to get started.
http://www.123macmini.com/news/story/1360.html |
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Fox
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| Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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In case you didn't know this, university/college students and faculty can get the program for half-price ($39.99) and/or can upgrade an older version to 3.0 for $19.99. This isn't well advertised, but you can buy it this way on VMware's website.
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devo
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| Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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I may upgrade to Fusion 3 now after seeing Windows 7 in action on my wife's laptop. I wouldn't mind having it run in combo with Snow Leopard on my MBP as well. Honestly, it's a pretty sweet operating system.  |
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Bandit Bill
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| Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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| devo wrote: | | I may upgrade to Fusion 3 now after seeing Windows 7 in action on my wife's laptop. I wouldn't mind having it run in combo with Snow Leopard on my MBP as well. Honestly, it's a pretty sweet operating system. |
I like the combo idea, I'd be a lot more inclined to play around with Windows 7 if I was still able to run OS X at the same time. I know bootcamp frees up more resources for Windows to run, but what good is having Windows if you don't actually use it. |
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TonyMontana
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| Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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I had high hopes for this product as I run version 2 and like it. But I have chatted with 4-5 folks that say that Fusion 3 runs really slow. They report that Parallels 5 beta beats the pants off it in performance. UGGG... I started off with Parallels but changed a while back on version 3 or 4 because I wasn't happy with it. Looks like I'll give version 3 try.
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devo
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| Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Bandit Bill wrote: | | I like the combo idea, I'd be a lot more inclined to play around with Windows 7 if I was still able to run OS X at the same time. I know bootcamp frees up more resources for Windows to run, but what good is having Windows if you don't actually use it. |
You'll use Windows way more with Fusion than with Boot Camp. It's just easier running them side-by-side without having to shutdown. It also does really nice perfomace wise with 4GB of RAM allocated between the two.
| TonyMontana wrote: | | I had high hopes for this product as I run version 2 and like it. But I have chatted with 4-5 folks that say that Fusion 3 runs really slow. They report that Parallels 5 beta beats the pants off it in performance. UGGG... I started off with Parallels but changed a while back on version 3 or 4 because I wasn't happy with it. Looks like I'll give version 3 try. |
I don't like the sounds of that. The better performance was something that drew me to Fusion.
How do you think it's doing performance wise Fox? |
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theGimpiest
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Joined: 05 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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Can't upgrade. They've got some sort of bug on the VMware web site for previous serials.
EDIT: and the form does not display properly in Safari. Very disappointing.
Last edited by theGimpiest on Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:11 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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TonyMontana
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| Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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Ok so it is up and running. Performance seems to be the same. Boot time seems the same. It now has a new icon in the tool bar that I can't seem to get rid of. I need new stuff on the tool bar like I need another hole in my head.
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Fox
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| Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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| devo wrote: | | TonyMontana wrote: | | I had high hopes for this product as I run version 2 and like it. But I have chatted with 4-5 folks that say that Fusion 3 runs really slow. .... |
I don't like the sounds of that. The better performance was something that drew me to Fusion.
How do you think it's doing performance wise Fox? |
I haven't used Parallels in more than a year; I switched to Fusion like TonyMontana but for a different reason - Fusion tools are more fully functional in Linux vms. However, I didn't notice any difference in overall performance between Parallels 3 and Fusion 1 or 2.
I haven't tried or bought Fusion Version 3 yet, but I did beta test it while running version 2 on at least one of my Macs. I didn't notice any performance difference between them in Windows xp or Linux, but I don't use xp much. Also, I did note on the beta forum that some people found Fusion 3 slower running Windows than Fusion 2. Fusion 3 does have some nice features that 2 doesn't, but in my mind, that wouldn't compensate for slower performance if that's what you experience.
The solution seems simple because Fusion 3 is available free as a trial version. If you're thinking about buying it, download the trial first, but don't install it until you've filed away your copy of Fusion 2. (It will be overwritten when 3 is installed.) Try 3 and if you're not happy with it, wipe it off your system and put back your copy of Fusion 2.
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Fox
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| Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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| TonyMontana wrote: | ... It now has a new icon in the tool bar that I can't seem to get rid of. I need new stuff on the tool bar like I need another hole in my head.
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We're of similar minds on that one, TonyMontana; I don't find the extra icon useful. This is not a feature I would pay for. For those few of you here who run Linux vm's, you will find Fusion 3 worth paying for in that with the latest kernel and the newest versions of popular Linux distros, at least one of the tools (drag and drop from host to guest OS) no longer works with the Fusion 2 tools. It does with the beta of 3 that I tested. I rather doubt that VMware will be doing any further updating of their version 2 tools.
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Mini 1: 2.3 ghz Core i5; 8 gb RAM, Corsair 240gb SSD, 500 gb Seagate XT
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Also a Cube, 13" MacBook Air, 20" 2.66 ghz iMac & 11.6" Acer 1810TZ running Ubuntu & openSuse |
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g5g5
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| Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:06 am Post subject: |
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Haven't given it a look, but what icon are you guys talking about? For the VMware tools in Windows? 
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TonyMontana
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| Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:30 am Post subject: |
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| g5g5 wrote: | | Haven't given it a look, but what icon are you guys talking about? For the VMware tools in Windows? |
It's at the top in my toolbar in my mac OS. It is a little VM Fusion logo. I had to kill it in activity monitor to get rid of it.
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g5g5
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| Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:59 am Post subject: |
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Gotcha. I thought you were talking about Windows for some reason. I'm going to give the trial a look later on today.
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strollin
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| Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:05 am Post subject: |
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| I have VMWare 2 on my mini but rarely use it since I installed VirtualBox which I like much better (and it's FREE). I have had Win 7 RC1 installed and running in VirtualBox for several months now. Never tried to install Win 7 on VMWare. |
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devo
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| Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Fox wrote: | | The solution seems simple because Fusion 3 is available free as a trial version. If you're thinking about buying it, download the trial first, but don't install it until you've filed away your copy of Fusion 2. (It will be overwritten when 3 is installed.) Try 3 and if you're not happy with it, wipe it off your system and put back your copy of Fusion 2. |
Yeah, that sounds like the plan Stan. Now, I just need to get another copy of Windows 7. Guess it needs to be an OEM copy this time around too. |
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