Parallels Tech Support Works

Computer tech support departments historically blame problems on the user, deny the problem is their fault (contact your computer maker) or re-direct the user to unhelpful online literature. That is why I would like to give a gold star to the team at Parallels for admitting to me my problem was real and having their developers fix it!

Parallels ($49.99 at Amazon) makes software that allows you to run Windows on your Mac. I had a friend who set up webcams at his house and the software that came with it (Nubix Eclipse Security) required an Active X component. Active X only runs in Internet Explorer and only on a PC. We set up Parallels in a flash, installed Windows XP, downloaded the Active X component, connected to the webcams three states away and .... Black screen. Parallels could not render the images even though they could be seen on a physical PC. (For the record VM Ware's Fusion could not render the images either.)

I wrote to technical support and expected to be dismissed. There were some standard suggestions about checking security settings and some other back and forth that might have been helpful to non-advanced computer users, but I knew this was a limitation of the software.

Imagine my surprise when I was told the issue was confirmed by the technicians and that the developers would work on the problem and repair it in the next free update. I waited a few weeks, and when I was notified I downloaded the free update and my problem was fixed. Operational Active X Nubix webcam software on an iMac running Windows XP with the help of Parallels 4. Thank you.