Parallels Desktop Switch to Mac Edition: An alternative to Windows 7?

In the busy run up to VMware's VMworld, a number of technology suppliers have introduced me to new products. My friends at Parallels showed me their take on what users of Windows XP should do. Rather than migrating to Windows Vista and then on to Windows 7, Parallels thinks that folks might be happier moving to a Mac. They're now offering Parallels Desktop^® Switch to Mac Edition^™ to facilitate that process. If I was a CIO facing a move of thousands or perhaps tens of thousands of people to newer generation systems and from Windows XP to Windows 7, this might be an interesting option.

Here's what Parallels has to say about their Switch to Mac Edition

Parallels Desktop Switch to Mac Edition includes everything you need to get up and running on your new Mac:

• Comprehensive learning tutorials that teach the ins and outs of the Mac
• Easy to use migration tools that make moving your old PC as easy as plug and click
• The fastest way to run Your PC on Mac — without rebooting. The award winning Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac runs Windows-on-Mac so you can enjoy the best of both worlds.

Parallels Desktop Switch to Mac Edition makes the move to Mac as easy as ready, set, switch.

Snapshot analysis

First of all, let me point out that my rather long desk supports several laptops -  a Windows XP system, a MacBook Pro and a Linux system.  I use all of these environments and have found that each has benefits and challenges.  I use the Mac most of all after a forced migration from a broken Dell laptop to the Mac (see The old coffee-in-the-keyboard trick for all of the embarassing details.) I found it workable enough that I never migrated back.

Although there are those who are proponents of following Microsoft's migration path from Windows XP to Windows Vista to Windows 7, there are others who have considered what Microsoft is offering and have decided to go another way. They've looked at Mac OS X and have decided that is a better next logical step. After all, if they have to go to all of that trouble, it might be better to consider an entirely different platform.

Parallels is more than happy to help these people migrate their Windows licenses and licenses for Windows-supported software into virtual machines that run on a Mac OS X host operating system.

Parallels knows that others, such as VMware, could offer similar migration paths. So, they've decided to add an easy to use, easy to understand computer based training module that provides context based tutorials that will, they hope, show Windows XP users that Mac OS X isn't all that frightening.

The demo I was shown was quite impressive. Windows XP applications seemed responsive and easy to access.  The tutorial appeared straightforward and useful. the only thing missing is one of David Pogue's Switching to the Mac books.

What they didn't show in this demonstration that I've been shown in the past was how documents could easily be created in either Windows XP or Mac OS X virtual machines and updated in the other environment.

Is your organization thinking about or planning the migration from Windows XP to Windows 7?  If so, does the availability of this type of approach look like a viable alternative?