Well it's here at last Parallels 4 - hopefully this update will be a big improvement.
Amongst the many features I'm looking forward to is being able to virtualise Lepoard Server - I'm at that stage with the web development where I can do without a full blown server at home. Using a vitualised server I can run up the environment when I need it and turn it off when I don't - which you have to admit will be quicker, cheaper and easier than having a gas guzzling server sitting in the rack to be only used a few hours a day.
Some tips (so far) with the upgrading process:
1. Its US$39.00 for the upgrade but if you brought it recently you may qualify for a free upgrade. (It's US$79.00 for the whole package). Get your copy before the end of November and you can get a 20% discount.
2. If you use the Google installed free version of PC Tools Anti-Spyware software and you want to use the new Parallels Internet Security software (Kaspersky actually) open the Google Updater and remove this software before you upgrade.
2a. Likewise if you have the ClamWin Free Antivirus sofware installed (use Add/Remove Program to uninstall ClamWin).
3. If you forget to do 2 & 2a before the update and for some reason the Parallels Internet Security installer doesn't launch use the "Virtual Machine –> Install Parallels Internet Security" menu option.
3. Enable Auto-Login - before updating any of your virtualised Windows machines enable the Auto-Login. Parallels 4 needs to upgrade your virtual machines and it can do it all Automatically for you.
4. If the Automatic Upgrade process fails and Parallels tells you to proceed with "Manual" upgrade don't panic. First off, check the FAQ that is linked to in the warning message - then when you do all of that and it still doesn't work see if Windows tells you some rubbish about significant changes to the hardware requiring you to re-authenticate - do it. In my experience this will allow the automatic update to resume and you should be in happy land.
If you do all of these things you can save yourself a few reboots of the virtual machine and maybe some sanity as we head into the end of the week!
Of course if you find any other tricks or useful bits let me know in the comments!
I've been described as a lost technocrat or a wondering luddite, personally I just like everything that takes us forward.