eWEEK Labs Walk-Through of VMware Fusion

Rather than click through Microsofts installer program, I was able to supply Fusion with a Windows XP SP2 disk image and a product ID number, hit go, and allow Fusion to do the driving.

Fusions Windows Easy Install works with a Windows installer disk or ISO image—the ISO image makes for a much speedier install.

I could drag files between my virtual Windows and host OS X desktops.

With Fusions Unity option enabled, I could launch Windows applications from a tool bar-based menu.

My own vote for most-needed Windows-only application? VMwares own Virtual Infrastructure Client, shown running here under Fusions Unity mode.

In Unity mode, the window decorations of XPs applications betray their true heritage.

Windows XPs notification bubbles appeared on my OS X desktop while I ran Windows apps in Unity mode.

For all its Windows integration niftiness, Fusion lacks the snapshot management sophistication of its VMware Workstation siblings.

Fusion is most focused on virtualizing Windows, but the application did a good job with Solaris and Linux, as well.

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