Parallels 6 -> Parallels 5

Uninstalled this pile of shite and gone back to version 5.

In all my years of software upgrading I think this is the first time I've ever regressed a version. I can put up with some dodgy functionality, but when it's FUBAR, no, I'll regress.


Bug Report 1

Bug Report 2

Google Search

Parallels 6

The parallels forums are just full of people complaining about BSOD with Windows under Parallels.

Whilst I'm glad that it's not just me, it's shows the shoddy software that the company has release yet again.

Parallels 6

Don't bother, usual story, new release, buggy as hell, windows crash, BSOD.

Sorely disappointed.

Er, no it doesn't

Snow Leopard Upgrade

Upgraded to the latest Mac OSX release, Snow Leopard. In the main all went OK, can't say that there's anything in there that's useful, or killer. Certainly not noticed the speed improvements that were being touted, my Mac still takes 3 minutes to boot :(

The only remedial action I needed to take was to reinstall Boinc and install some Python libraries that went awol.

Chrome on the Mac

Following on from my earlier post, then you can download builds directly from the Chromium project here.

Google Chrome on Mac OSX - Download Available

I've been waiting for Google Chrome to be released on Mac OSX since I tried the Windows versions last year. Since Google are still developing the code, I thought I'd try to build it myself from the open source Chromium project and see how it goes.

And it goes reasonably well. Doesn't support Flash yet, and other features are missing, but it's worth a look. You can download the application I built from here. Bear in mind that this is a 'alpha' build and it could easily crash or worse.



If you want to build it yourself, then download the free Mac compiler Xcode and download the Chromium source, see the details here. Good luck.

XP Stupid Mouse

I use a Mac for most stuff, but for Java development I tend to use Windows. One real feature I miss in Windows is the Mac's ability to scroll the window contents when the mouse is over the window, even if the window is not selected.

Windows doesn't do this and it's a pain. Even in the explorer view where there is one window with two panels, you have to click in one panel before you can scroll it. Truly sucktacular.

However, there is a useful utility called KatMouse that gives you the 'over window scroll' feature of the Mac, and most unix OS'es.

So, Macs Never Crash?

Er, yes they do. Mine crashes frequently. Hard crashes equivalent to the Windows Blue Screen of Death, program crashes and awful performance when memory is tight.

Currently I'm battling against a hard crash that happens when I use two competing Virtual Machine products, Parallels and Sun's free Virtual Box.

For those who've never experienced a Mac hard crash, or kernel panic to give it it's proper name, then here's a picture: