[Elecraft] e: Windows Emulator

[Brian Pietrzyk]

I worked in the IT industry and worked intensely with Windows since the pre DOS days. I transitioned to Mac about 6 years ago and it has been my primary OS since. I find I rarely need windows for much else then programming my radios and a few apps such as WSPR. The rest I can do on Mac. 

If you can upgrade your mac to 16gb ram (check out https://www.macsales.com/) then running Windows in a VM such as Fusion or Parallels works great. For the MacBook Air or older MacBook users with 8 or even 4gb ram the best option is to set aside 20gb disc space and load Windows into a BootCamp partition (just run the BootCam assistant) because of its full Intel chipset. The computer is then a dual boot and can boot directly into Windows. Its the best way to go for I/O complex apps such as FreeDV or HRD. Its way cheaper then buying a separate windows computer if you want to stay on a single computer. 

I strongly suggest resisting the temptation to make any audio connections directly between the radio and the mac. If your rig does not have a USB port, get a something opto-isolated in-between such as a Signalink USB or equivalent. 

Brian ve3bwp

Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2016 11:39:42 -0600
From: John Evans <john.evans.n0hj at gmail.com>
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Windows Emulator
Message-ID:
   <CAEtP=8sFp+zdqdFcmcDbwNynQrBV6+6bctTPGqU-VNB7yNgqCg at mail.gmail.com>
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What VMs did you 'test' that had bad performance?

72 - john - n0hj

On Wed, Oct 12, 2016 at 11:37 AM, Fred Moore <fred at fmeco.com> wrote:

> ....
> I tested some VM that wasn't cusomized for the OSX and performance was
> horrible, slow and cranky..
> 
> Regards.. Fred
> 
> 


------------------------------

Message: 7
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2016 10:43:20 -0700
From: Michael Wong <michaelwong at mac.com>
To: John <john at eeek.org.uk>
Cc: Richard Fjeld <rpfjeld at outlook.com>, elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Windows Emulator
Message-ID: <41C29A50-0665-4E9F-8AE8-DF1A2A745142 at mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

At the risk of starting a religious thread, I never said Macs were more secure than PCs. On my Mac, I simply have more control of my security and credentials than on a Windows computer from 20 years of deep Mac experience. On Windows, I simply don?t have the deep knowledge of how to restrict my usage to protect myself. Whatever the platform, careful computing habits are the best defense from malware. 

Also, Microsoft is close to ending free Windows 10 updates (or may have already ended that program.) VMs are a good compromise and others have commented on those virtues.   

> On Oct 12, 2016, at 10:02 AM, John <john at eeek.org.uk> wrote:
> 
> Michael,
> 
> I'd be very wary of your last statement there. Your Mac is no more secure than a Windows computer (and in fact Apple collect a lot of data and hide the fact that they're collecting it, they just manage to hide it better than Microsoft do). Your assertion that you're safe just because you use a Mac is, at best, a false belief.
> 
> I, and many other people, use a Windows PC on a daily basis, do all my online shopping on it etc, and I've not been a victim of any of the things you suggested will happen. Sure, I'm a careful user (by which I mean I apply common sense when browsing etc), but I'm at no more risk on my Windows PC than you are on your Mac.
> 
> In response to Dick's question about cost, the only cost would be a Windows licence. With Windows 10 being free for a long time, you may still find that your VM can install, and be activated with, that for free. YMMV. Virtualbox is completely free to individual users (and I suspect other VM hypervisors mentioned in the thread such as Parallels and VMware Fusion are the same).
> 
> 73, and a firm left handshake,
> John (XLX)