There are several ways to run non-Apple operating systems on a Mac. With Boot Camp, a software freebie from Apple, for example, a Mac's hard drive, depending on its size, can be partitioned for the use of Windows and then further partitioned for Linux, Google Chrome OS and other operating systems.
Then, when you boot-up the Mac, you can select and load one of these systems from a list, but only one at a time.
If you need to switch quickly between operating systems, there's a better way: Parallels Desktop for Mac, an off-the-shelf software program that runs Windows and other operating systems alongside Apple's.
The latest version _ the 12th _ is the eight I've used. If you're unsure about updating to the newest edition, you might be interested to know it runs much faster than its predecessor and quickly boots up your system of choice.
If your computer has enough RAM, you can simultaneously run several operating systems, each in a separate window, on the Mac desktop without partitioning the hard drive. Parallels runs the operating systems as virtual machines, much like having separate computers, calling on a Mac's RAM to do its work. The folks at Parallels say you'll want a computer with at least 8 gigabytes of memory to run the program, but I was able to run it without a hitch on a 4-gig MacBook. The new version works with Windows 10 and will be compatible with the next version of the Mac operating system, due to be released soon.
The program also has a grab bag of tools that makes running Macs more interesting. The most useful tool converts video from a smartphone to video that can be played back on a Mac. Another tool records screenshots and video of the desktop. Other features include an alarm tool, a clock and a stopwatch. Version 12 comes with 500 gigs of free online storage (good for a year).
Even though I've been using Parallels on my Mac for the past eight years, I'm still impressed with how easy it makes moving files from Windows to Mac to Chrome and back again.
Each operating system can be run as a window on the Mac desktop or you can opt to have one fill the entire screen for a total operating system experience. For the adventurous, Parallels will guide you, via download links, to the free Google Chrome and Linux Ubuntu operating systems. I had four operating systems running at once on a Mac with 16 gigabytes of RAM. The additional operating systems ran almost flawlessly _ if a bit slowly _ with Parallels.
I'm downsizing my collection of computers and someday will be left with an iMac and maybe a MacBook Air, but I have software, such as Quicken, that I use only with Windows. Parallels lets me, instead of having to find a Windows PC, run Quicken on my Mac in a Windows environment. If I had older programs that needed earlier versions of Windows, I could install them as virtual machines, too. It's possible to run Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 alongside the Mac OS, Chrome and Ubuntu. It's like having a row of PCs, with a Mac in the middle, each running its own operating system and software. Computing on multiple platforms doesn't get much better than with Parallels.
An upgrade to Parallels 12 from earlier versions costs $50. A first-time user of Parallels pays a reasonable $80 for the experience. Tech support and the online knowledge base are excellent.
