Microsoft Offers Windows Users Virtual PC for Free

Microsoft is offering Virtual PC 2004 as a free download for Windows users, but the Mac version is still a paid product. The decision to give away the Windows version of Virtual PC, according to Digital Trends, is a move to draw IT professionals to the product instead of competitors offerings.

Virtual PC lets you run multiple operating systems at the same time, although Microsoft has take efforts to limit it to specific versions of Windows. For users that only run Windows, itis a tool that lets them run multiple versions of the operating system for testing and troubleshooting.

The future of Virtual PC for the Mac has been in question for some time. It doesnit run at all on Appleis new Intel-based Macs, and competing products, like Parallels Desktop and Boot Camp are already available. Giving away the Windows version may be a step towards the final demise of Virtual PC 7. The company has, however, previously stated that it is committed to the Mac platform.

Representatives from Microsoft were unvailable for comment.