|
Compass is written specifically for
Microsoft Windows, so it won't run directly on a Macintosh or
Linux.
There are however some tricks that may allow you to use Compass
on a Mac or Linux. Since I don't own a Mac, I haven't tested any of these
approaches, but I don't see any reason why they won't work.
Getting Windows. Most of the methods
described below require that you get a copy of Windows to run on
your Mac. This is not too expensive if you go through EBay. Any
version of Windows from Windows 2000 through Windows 7 should
work, but to keep expenses and hassles lows, I would probably go
with Windows XP, 32-bit, Service Pack-3. I see them offered on
EBay for around $30 to $50.
1. Boot Camp. This option only
applies to Macintoshes. Boot Camp is a program
that allows a Macintosh "dual-boot" into either the Mac OS or
Windows. This means only one operating system can run on the
computer at a time. As such, while Windows is running, it can
run at full speed and access all the capabilities of the
computer hardware. Here are links to information about Boot
Camp:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1461
http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/
2. Virtual Machines. This option can be used with either
Linux or Macintosh computers. It
creates a special separate environment on the computer called a
Virtual Machine. The Virtual Machine runs under the Mac OS and
so, in effect, both operating systems are running at the same
time and you can access either operating system at any time. The
down side is that Windows may run slightly slower and may not be
able to access all the hardware features of the computer. This
is probably not a problem for Compass, since it doesn't need
access any fancy hardware, but you might not be able to access
devices like drawing tables or scanners from Windows.
There are several companies that make Virtual
Machine software for the Mac and Linux.
3. Windows Emulation. With this option,
a special program running on the Mac or Linux simulates the Windows
operating system environment. Since it is simulating Windows,
you don't actually need a copy of Windows to make it run. Also
the most widely used version is free. On the down side, the
software will run considerably slower, although computers are so
fast these days, that you probably won't notice a difference
with most program. The biggest down side is compatibility.
Because the emulator has to match every single standard Windows
subroutine exactly right, there is a high risk that you will
encounter compatibility problems. Here is a link to the most
popular emulator, which is called "Wine."
Wine Bottler |
