Virtual machines for CRIMPers

Posted by Paul Korm
Feb 26, 2016 at 02:57 PM

Windows under Parallels can see the entire OS X file system (this is handled by Parallels and is configurable). I keep all data (except ConnectedText, see below) on the Mac side because I don’t want to crank up Windows just to get a file.

I use all those programs because I love to buy software (CRIMP!!). But I don’t see them as overlapping at all. I work 14 hours a day on computers and I enjoy the variety of working with lots of beautiful tools—it makes the work fly along. I periodically step back and do personal data and feature modelling to reflect on what’s working and what’s not—but basically it’s like going into your workshop and deciding what tools you need for the project at hand. Building a chess set requires different skills and tools than building a breakfront. I suppose that doesn’t answer “how do you delineate”—because it has no answer.

ConnectedText is one case I cannot break loose from Windows. I’ve tried ConnectedText running in CrossOver and I hated it—the look and feel is horrible in CrossOver and CrossOver stores ConnectedText’s licensing scheme incorrectly. Since the VM can access your Mac files, you should be OK (not knowing your particulars, of course). I store my CT projects on the Windows side since they don’t need sharing with any apps in OS X.

It’s important to back up your VM. At least weekly shut down Parallels and use your backup program to copy the whole .pvm package over to a separate volume in your NAS or elsewhere on your LAN.

@Simon wrote:
>Is your data kept separate or do you use the same repository?
>Could I ask why you would run ConnectedText, Onenote, Tinderbox, theBrain and Curio, when they all seem to overlap somewhat in functionality? I’m also really interested to know >how you delineate what goes into which app and how, if at all you connect information?
>I’ve long wanted to use ConectedText, but am worried about disconnecting information from my mac. The more apps I use the more I have to think what I put where!