CrossOver

CrossOver gives you the possibility of installing Windows-based applications on your Mac. The difference between operating systems won't be a barrier anymore when it comes to what kind of applications you can use. The best part is that you don't have to reboot your Mac or complicate your life with a virtual machine. You can launch your Windows applications just like Mac OS X apps.

CrossOver's main user interface can be used to manage installed apps, like on a Finder window. You can organize them in separate folders, called bottles and add files to a favorites list. All you have to do is double click an application's executable to run it. Unlike Mac OS X apps, each Windows application consists of several files. You can manage them on CrossOver's user interface, but you can also manage them in the Finder. What's more, you can add the executable of any Windows application to the dock and launch it like a native Mac OS X app.

Although it may take some time, installing a Windows application is not difficult. CrossOver provides support for countless applications. They are presented in lists, on the software installer window. In certain cases, you will need to have an installer file on your disk and you will also need to select this file, as well as a destination folder and a bottle.

In other cases, you will find community-supported applications, for which you don't need an installation file. All you have to do is select the listed application and click a button. CrossOver will download and launch the application's installer, allowing you to go through the installation process, just like in Windows.