CodeWeavershas announce plans to release CrossOver Mac this summer . The $ 60 software will allow Intel Mac users to run Windows applications — admit some games — without having to buy or install Windows itself .

Boot Camp and Parallels Desktop both cater this capability for Intel Mac owners already — Boot Camp , software program from Apple currently available in beta form , micturate substance abuser bring up their Macs and run Windows . Parallels Desktop is a “ virtualization ” utility that turn on the Windows operating system and Windows applications to run in Mac OS X , within another windowpane ( or , alternately , in full screen way ) .

CrossOver Mac will take this one pace further — it eschews what CodeWeavers Chief Operating Officer Jon Parshall calls the “ box seat within a box seat approach . ”

“ What you see running is an program sitting in your Dock or your Applications pamphlet , ” Parshall toldMacworld .

Both Boot Camp and Parallels Desktop study because the new Macs utilize the same microprocessor that ’s ground in Windows - compatible computer , and CrossOver Mac engage the same introductory principle . This was n’t possible before January , when Macs depended only on PowerPC - based microprocessors made by IBM and Freescale . The mien of an Intel processor inside the Mac forge a close enough resemblance to get Windows and Windows applications to work .

Although Boot Camp is free and Parallels Desktop is jolly price , both software applications require an expensive copy of Windows so as to ferment — and that ’s the boastful welfare for CrossOver Mac . It play without having Windows installed all together , thanks to the underlying code that powers the software .

WINE - power

CrossOver Mac is based on the same sum engineering science that power CodeWeavers ’ Linux - based offer — an open - reservoir project called WINE . WINE — a self - referencing acronym that stands for “ WINE Is Not An ape ” — is a compatibility stratum that provides alternate implementations of the code referenced by Windows program to work . CodeWeavers uses publicly available version of WINE to grow the CrossOver Cartesian product , and conduce its computer code changes back to the WINE labor , according to Parshall .

app prevail on CrossOver Mac will offer performance comparable to apps run natively on Windows , harmonize to Parshall , with all the same capability and functionality as they would if you were running Windows .

CodeWeavers ’ specific focus is getting CrossOver to persist commonly used business applications , he said . Right now the company ’s Linux intersection runs Microsoft Office applications , Access , Project , Vision , Lotus Notes , Quicken , FrameMaker and other product .

play possibilities

Gamers have a strong interest in Boot Camp , as it allow them to take on games that wo n’t function natively on Mac OS X — Parallels Desktop has disappointed gamers because it does n’t let in native graphic equipment driver reinforcement so it is n’t suitable for run 3D games . CrossOver Mac wo n’t suffer that trouble , though Parshall cautions that CodeWeavers ’ specific area of direction is n’t on games .

The company said it hopes “ to propose reinforcement for a limited number of games , ” but has n’t yet determined the concluding admixture of brook applications . Parshall toldMacworldthat the popular shooterHalf - life history 2is on the list , and while he said that it is n’t technically on the put up inclination of app , the novel 2 K Games - published FPSPreyalso mold well .

computer virus , malware not as much of an issue

Another welfare of CrossOver Mac ’s approach to melt down Windows software system is that it ’s much less susceptible to contagion by Windows - based viruses or malware than a true Windows - base solution , according to Parshall .

“ A virus postulate to bear on the intestine of Windows , ” he explained . “ Theoretically , if you were really , really dear youmightbe able to get your virus to run under WINE , but we ’ve yet to see about anyone who has , even in the research laboratory . ”

Parshall tell he expects that this tribute will extend to CrossOver Mac as well .

CodeWeavers plans to release CrossOver Mac in July or August , 2006 . It will cost $ 59.95 for a single - user license . The company said it has a backlog of beta testers , but advisers users who are concerned toe - mail themanyway .