Using an Intel-based Mac means you can choose the best of both worlds "running Mac OS X or running Windows, but what's the optimal way way to go about it? Cross-platform expert Joe Kissell has distilled untold hours of testing into this ebook to help you understand the pros and cons of Apple's Boot Camp versus virtualization software and to give advice and step-by-step instructions for installing either Windows XP or Windows Vista in Boot Camp, Parallels Desktop 4, VMware Fusion 2, and VirtualBox.

You'll also find out how to connect third-party peripherals and printers, share files between operating systems, avoid Windows malware, and back up a Windows installation. Plus, Joe looks briefly at running Windows software without installing Windows and at running Windows on PowerPC-based Macs.

Installing and running Windows on an Intel-based Mac has become commonplace, but doing so most effectively still requires expert knowledge. Fortunately, the new Take Control of Running Windows on a Mac, Third Edition" brings readers 167 pages of hard-won advice, helping readers determine the best installation option for their needs, install Windows easily, and keep Windows secure, properly backed up, and working optimally.

Written by cross-platform guru Joe Kissell and based on innumerable hours of research, the title covers Windows XP and Windows Vista, and it gives procedures for working with virtualization programs VMware Fusion, Parallels Desktop, and VirtualBox, along with Apple's dual-boot solution, Boot Camp. For each option, Kissell provides instructions for installing the software and for installing Windows, and he goes further by explaining how to make peripherals - like mice, keyboards, and printers - behave properly, how to share files between the Mac and Windows environments, and how to integrate the Mac and Windows interfaces. Kissell also looks at software that makes it possible to run Windows programs on a Mac without installing Windows itself, and he explains methods of acquiring Windows, a topic made confusing by Microsoft's many licensing options and activation mechanism.

The $10 ebook comes with coupons for $8 off the price of VMware Fusion and $5 off Parallels Desktop. It can be purchased at http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/windows-​on-mac - a free sample version and the introductory text are also available at that link.

Questions answered in the ebook include:

• What are 15 things that you can do in Windows, but not on the Mac?
• How can I get a copy of Windows XP or Vista that will work on a Mac?
• How can I set things up so that Windows won't bog down?
• How should I handle partitioning for my Windows installation?
• How do I avoid and handle activation hassles?
• Boot Camp is free with Leopard, but what are the pros and cons to using it?
• How can I run one copy of Windows with both Boot Camp and virtualization software?
• Should I run VMware Fusion, Parallels Desktop, or VirtualBox?
• What's the best way to right-click in Windows?
• How do I print from my Windows software?
• How do I make my Bluetooth devices work in Windows?
• What is FAT32, and why might it matter to me?
• What are the coolest new features in Parallels Desktop 4?
• What's interesting about the different views in VMware Fusion?