Mac OS on a PC?

Reader Chris writes: Is it possible to run Mac software on a PC?

Excellent question, and for decades the answer has been "absolutely not." While PC emulation (letting you run Windows apps on a Macintosh) has existed on the Mac for years, doing the opposite has been impossible. Emulators like VMWare, which I've used successfully for a variety of applications, only support Linux and Unix-type operating systems.

The good news is that there's a new emulator available that allows you to run MacOS inside of Windows. It's called PearPC, and it's a free program for Windows and Linux/Unix OSes. PearPC is hardly a point-and-click installation: You'll have to be familiar with creating disk images, working with the command line, and the ins and outs of both your current OS and installing MacOS if you want to get it set up properly. There is a ton of documentation and external help on the PearPC site, so give it a look before you decide to take the plunge.

On the other hand, dealing with an emulator may not be worth the hassle (not to mention the risk of mucking up your PC) if you don't need constant access to Mac applications. One solution: You can get a new Mac Mini for less than $600. Just plug it in when you need to run iLife or your other Mac-only programs.