Need Some Software/Computer Help

[cabinetman]

My DIL is a clinical psychologist and her services are paid through Aetna. The problem is that her computer is a MAC, and Aetna's software is for Windows. She has tried to download their software with their tech help and they are saying it isn't compatible. Is there a patch or something missing?

I do have an extra desktop with Windows XP I could give her if there is no other fix. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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[Mr__Bill]

I'm sure a Mac grue will chime in soon but until then....

There is software that creates a virtual windows machine on a Mac. It runs just like another application on the Mac and you can run windows programs with it. I'm not sure how much access to hardware and the internet you have but I assume that by now it's going to be just like running a program on a win box.


Bill
if you can't help at least confuse.

[gsmittle]

There are three different software packages I can think of off the top of my head that will let you run Winderz on a Mac. BootCamp requires a reboot; the other two (Parallels and one I can't think of the name of) let you run Winderz in a window in OS X. Basically, you make a partition on the HD and install Winderz there.

AFAIK, none extract much of a speed penalty, since late-model Macs run an Intel chip. You will have all the networking, printing, virus, etc. issues you normally have with Winderz, but at least you can get done what you need done.

Is the Aetna software run in a Web browser? If so, trying Firefox or Opera instead of Safari might work. My school district runs our gradebook software via a browser, but our tech support in its infinite wisdom refuses to let it run in Safari. Firefox works just fine, regardless of the OS.

g.

[MilDoc]

VMware Fusion is the best Windows emulator for Intel based Macs. Faster than Parallels and will run more programs right "out of the box." VMware Fusion also comes with Kapersky antivirus - good program.

OTOH, Aetna's software is likely proprietary (unless it is web based - but that "should" run on any Mac) and may not run under any Windows emulator. Their tech guys "might" be able to answer that question but don't hold your breath.

If it is web based but "demands" IE (or Firefox) rather that Safari (LOML's clinic program is like that) than an emulator like VMware Fusion will also run IE etc on an Intel Mac. There are also Mac IE and Firefox versions available.

A Windows machine is likely her best bet.

[twistsol]

The two products listed above, Parallels and VMware Fusion both set up an emulated PC in software and let you install any version of windows. It runs simultaneously with Mac OSX. To run either one, you need a license for the software, a license for Windows, and an Intel based Mac, (anything from mid 2006 or later)

I run Parallels and have two virtual machines one that runs Windows 7 and a second that runs Windows XP. I haven't found anything that won't run with the exception of some games that require high end video cards.

You can download a trial from parallels to test it. I assume you can also get a trial of VMware Fusion but I didn't look. If neither of those work, Apple provides Boot Camp with OSX 10.5 or later. Boot camp lets you set up a partition on your hard drive to install Windows. The drawback is that you have to reboot to switch between windows and Mac OSX. The advantage is that there are few if any compatibility issues.

[Bruce Cohen]

My older daughter is a court reporter and the only 2 software packages for sent translationare windows based. She owns a mac

She's running "Boot Camp" a free application from mac that works great. The only hitch is that you need to install a copy of Windows (pick your flavor) into the mac as a partition on your hard drive. But the gnomes, as apposed to "TROLLS" at Apple have worked it out that you don't have to erase the hard drive to create a partition as one would normally have to do.

You also need to be using a fairly new (recent) mac and version of OS X for boot camp to work. The software is part of your mac operating software but will only be installed if you check that option when doing an install/re-install.

If you can't figure it out, and if there's a Mac store near you, you can make an appointment on line and have them do it (for free).

Its not as hard as woodworking. But then again, you're former Army, so maybe it is.

Bruce

[LinuxRandal]

Hopefully (eases sake), her Mac, is a newer Intel based one. Has she asked if they have a web based setup?

[cabinetman]

Thank you to all that have responded. I will send these responses to her. I think she is looking for a fix that doesn't require her to buy any software. At this stage if nothing else works I'll just give her one of my desktops.

Hopefully (eases sake), her Mac, is a newer Intel based one. Has she asked if they have a web based setup?

She has been on the phone with Aetna's "tech" guy to try to get a working solution. I'm not sure how new her Mac is...maybe 6 months old.
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[gsmittle]

She has been on the phone with Aetna's "tech" guy to try to get a working solution. I'm not sure how new her Mac is...maybe 6 months old.
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If her Mac is 6 months old or thereabouts, then she's running OS X 10.6.x on an Intel processor, so she's good to go.

It's also possible to install a skeleton OS X, BootCamp, and Winderz on an external HD and use that if her internal drive is pretty full.

Thanks, MilDoc, I couldn't think of Fusion.

Keep us gnomes posted on her progress!

g.

[twistsol]

One more option

There is one other option that I just couldn't remember, but it came to me on the drive from the hotel to the office this morning. It's called Crossover Mac and it is a commercial version of WINE which basically translates the application requests from windows to Mac OSX.

This is one of those programs that works anywhere from executes flawlessly to the application won't run at all and it really depends on the specific program you are trying to run with it. I've had marginal success with it, and older programs seem to run much better than new ones.

http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/

[crokett]

Virtual Box is a virtual machine like Parallels or VMWare fusion. Unlike those, it is free. I am not sure I would run a production machine in it, but for what she wants it is fine. I use it at work and home for the 1 or 2 apps that don't run in Linux. You would need a license for XP or Win7 but to dual boot you would need one anyway, The way Virtual Box works is you create the VM and it creates a file on your HDD. You don't need a separate partition. Once you have the VM created, you boot it and install the guest OS to it. Once that is done you can copy that file to another machine running Virtual Box and run it there too. Virtual Box also supports access to USB ports, network filesharing, etc.

I have not had much luck with Wine, at least the Linux version.

[cabinetman]

Just as an update, we haven't heard if she got it solved. We'll be talking this weekend. Thanks for all the suggestions.
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[Kristofor]

Claims submission sounds like the type of activity that could likely involve uniquely identifiable patient information that must be protected...

If I were a patient there I'd want a well designed solution of some sort not a cobbled together solution that may be weak on the security side of things (Antivirus, patching, drive encryption if records are stored, not being brought out of the office casually, etc.). Okay, my medical records are so boring I don't really care, but if I were legally accountable for the security of said records (oh, I am in some systems!) I'd at least be concerned about addressing each of those issues...

I can easily understand why a small clinic or individual wouldn't have the time/expertise to deal with that. I wonder if there's not some sort of 3rd party service focused on that market that would operate on an as-needed or contingency basis for a reasonable price? Though if the cost of a software license isn't in the budget, labor costs wouldn't be either I'd guess...

[gsmittle]

I can easily understand why a small clinic or individual wouldn't have the time/expertise to deal with that. I wonder if there's not some sort of 3rd party service focused on that market that would operate on an as-needed or contingency basis for a reasonable price? Though if the cost of a software license isn't in the budget, labor costs wouldn't be either I'd guess...

Actually, on-the-fly encryption is built into the Mac OS. You just have to turn it on.

g.

[Kristofor]

Actually, on-the-fly encryption is built into the Mac OS. You just have to turn it on.

g.

Also true of Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and even the venerable Windows 2000. It's the last sentence above that causes the problem

And in the case of laptops left on planes, in cabs, or which are stolen, the desire of users to avoid having to enter a password to log onto their machines which defeats much of the purpose of encrypting the drive...