Virtual PC vs remote desktop

[Boomerangmacuser]

My wife currently works from home on an intel PC. She'll need a notebook soon and I want to get her a Powerbook. Two platforms will allow for better testing of her sites and walking into a client's office with a powerbook does give a little street cred ;) . The problem is that we only have intel based apps (Photoshop, Dreamweaver, et al) at this point and re-buying everything for Mac will be expensive for occasional use.

I've read a lot of threads on the performance hit of VPC, not to mention the duplication of files on two machines (and all the associated versioning headaches).

One solution I haven't seen but wan't to explore is to keep all the apps and files on the PC and simply remote to it from the powerbook. Before you ask the most obvious question; yes we have cable internet! :D This won't be an everyday thing, just when she's meeting with a client or when we're visiting with family out of town (her work doesn't stop). I use Tivoli remote control where I work but haven't experiemented with the feature built into Windows XP at home.

My question is; is this a viable option? Would I be abble to remote into my PC at home from a Powerbook? I can live with a little screen lag but not if it's paralyzing. Does Apple remote desktop work across platforms? It also seems like overkill starting at 10 licences when I only need 1. Is there something built into OSX ot even Ichat that would do the trick? Hopefully XP doesn't have a leg up in this area.

[lavieboheme]

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/otherproducts/otherproducts.aspx?pid=remotedesktopclient

This will let you use Microsoft's Remote Desktop on your Mac, assuming that you have XP Pro.
But since your wife really needs Windows, maybe a Mac isn't the best computer for your wife.

[Gargoyle]

1. Buy the PowerBook
2. Aquire the Mac versions of the Apps you already have for the PC.
3. Enjoy.

Personally, I think the likes of Photoshop and Dreamweaver, that are very expensive apps, and ones whose shelf life outlives that of most hardware should be supplied with a dual key, ie the same key (and even CD/DVD) can be used on both platforms. IMO, it's just greedy of these companies not to offer this!

When you come to upgrade your Apps, I believe you can "Cross Upgrade" for almost the same cost as a normal upgrade.

Edit: This "cross upgrade" might not be the case with Adobe CS anymore - bastards!

[screensaver400]

I agree with Gargoyle. I'm not sure that would be fair with Office, which is quite different between the two platforms, but with Photoshop and Dreamweaver-- Both almost exactly the same as in Windows-- I'd think simply "acquiring" them would be fair.

[Boomerangmacuser]

Thanks. I had never heard of it (remote desktop client that is). I just checked and it looks free! Yes, the decision to Mac or not to Mac is difficult if you're not making a clean break. I never heard of any partial switchers on the Apple site. How do larger organizations make the transition if it's hard for a little SOHO to do it?

Being able to cross upgrade would be great. I'll have to look into it. I can keep the old versions running on the PC without upgrades until the PC dies... then buy a Mac desktop! Does anyone have experience with the performance of a remote desktop vs VPC?

[WBG4]

Remote desktop runs ok hardwired but i wouldn't want to produce over it. VPC emulates a slow P2 if that gives you any idea. I only use it for testing sites. I think you can do web sites with some open source and shareware apps on the mac (except the graphics) like SubEthaEdit and css edit. Those are like the only 2 apps i use for sites other then photoshop

[Boomerangmacuser]

I want to get the PB for "testing sites" too, and eventually move back over to Mac OS. When my wife is working in her office I'll have the PB in another room. When her PC dies, hopefully we'll be in a position to convert completely back to Mac. We used to have an PM 7300 once upon a time and miss it's reliability.

All of her clients are windows users though. Are there any other small web developer entrepeneurs out there on Macs who's client base is all PC? Does the difference in platforms cause any problems?

[WBG4]

Not for development it shouldn't the only thing you have to watch is how it looks in win IE

[torifile]

I couldn't imagine using PS or DW in either VPC or with remote desktop. Neither of those are really viable solutions, IMHO. I'd take Gargoyle's suggestion.

[Gargoyle]

I just want to point out that after you have acquired the Mac versions, you should not continue to use the PC ones! ;)

Since most licence agreements for software grant you the right to use a single copy, there might even be a bit of a grey area as to the legality of this!?!? I wouldn't know though, I have never actually read a full licence agreement.

[Boomerangmacuser]

Thanks everyone. You've been very helpful. Now I hold out as absolutely long as I can before making the buy. Hopefully a real bump will come along.

[PB PM]

I just want to point out that after you have acquired the Mac versions, you should not continue to use the PC ones! ;)

Since most licence agreements for software grant you the right to use a single copy, there might even be a bit of a grey area as to the legality of this!?!? I wouldn't know though, I have never actually read a full licence agreement.
The Mac version would fall under a seperate licence from the PC version.