I need to run an application under windows, not heavy use (I gave up on VirtualPC).
I currently have an emac running 10.3.9.
My options appear to be:
1.  Buying a minimum PC (maybe Dell for $400).

2. Upgrading to an Imac (seems a waste as I am happy with my emac).

3. Need help on this one:
   Could I buy a Minimac with Parallels, and somehow use my emac's display to completely
  operate the Minimac including the initial startup and installation of windows ?
  I am not familiar with Apple Remote, Ethernet, or hardware connection of displays etc.
  to know what is feasible.
   I have connected two macs with firewire to copy files, but this does not seem to be the answer here.

Knowing what application you need to run under windows might bring additional solutions.

I do seniors taxes (as a volunteer), maybe 10 - 20 tax returns.
Revenue Canada insists I use their supplied tax program which does not run on a Mac.
In addition I have given up on Taxtron for my own taxes after this years experience.

> Could I buy a Minimac with Parallels, and somehow use my emac's display to completely
> operate the Minimac including the initial startup and installation of windows ?
> I am not familiar with Apple Remote, Ethernet, or hardware connection of displays etc.
> to know what is feasible.
> I have connected two macs with firewire to copy files, but this does not seem to be the answer here.

My preference would be to replace your eMac (that thing is huge n'est-ce pas?) with an intel-based iMac or Mini or MacBook, and then run Parallels for any Windows-only software. But you can certainly do what you suggest above. Here is one way you could do it:

1) Boot Intel MacMini into Windows using BootCamp
2) Remote control the MacMini-now-running-Windows desktop from your eMac using the free Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection mac application:
       http://microsoft.com/mac/otherproducts/otherproducts.aspx?pid=remotedesktopclient

Other ways you could do it would have you on the Intel MacMinifor BootCamp (free) substitute Parallels ($), and for Mircrosoft Remote Desktop substitute Timbuktu($) or CarbonCopy($) or VNC (free), etc., but the first suggestion above will save you the cost of Parallels and commercial screensharing software.

...b

FYI re: Timbuktu -> http://netopia.com/software/products/tb2/multi/

FYI re: Performing the initial BootCamp or Parallels software installation: you'd need to borrow a display for the Mac Mini; any old CRT would do, but if you treated yourself to a nice LCD for the Mac Mini, you'd find the LCD and the Mac Mini would perform better than your eMac, take up a lot less room, and avoid the need for any remote desktop controlling.

Thank you for your response.
I assume that I would have to buy the Apple Remote software ($299) for the host computer
in order to use the free Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection mac application ?
and that the two computers would be connected by an ethernet cable ?
Is Ethernet network support included in all Macs as part of OS and is the only cost a cable ?
Sorry about the questions, but I have used Macs since they first came out, and have never needed
to go behind the application software.

The costs seem to be mounting (Parallels, Microsoft XP, Apple Remote).

> I assume that I would have to buy the Apple Remote software ($299) for the host computer
> in order to use the free Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection mac application ?

Nope. As with OS X, a 'remote desktop control' client capability is included with Windows. So you can remote control a Windows computer (for example, a Mac booted into Windows using Bootcamp) using the free Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection for Mac, without having to buy any client s/w for the Windows end of things.
    http://www.microsoft.com/mac/otherproducts/otherproducts.aspx?pid=remotedesktopclient

> and that the two computers would be connected by an ethernet cable ?
> Is Ethernet network support included in all Macs as part of OS and is the only cost a cable ?

To remote control one computer from another, they have to be 'see' each other their network connections. You can connect two mac OS X computers using an Ethernet cable, or even a firewire cable, without additional software being required. But you may find it more convenient to insert an ethernet router between your Cable/DSL modem and your two macs. In this way you don't have to unplug the Internet connection from one to connect it to the other computer, and both computers can simultaneously share the Internet connection.

> The costs seem to be mounting (Parallels, Microsoft XP, Apple Remote)

The cost of Windows is difficult to avoid given you want to run a Windows application. But if you can put up with the inconvenience of rebooting, you can use Bootcamp for free on an intel Mac and avoid the cost of Parallels. And you can remote control a Windows computer for free using Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection for Mac, and avoid the cost of Remote desktop sharing software.

But from an ease of use viewpoint (which is what originally draws many folks to Macs), it's difficult to beat upgrading to an intel Mac and then running Parallels whenever you need tax software -- then you don't have to worry about networking two computers, or about remote controlling one computer from the other.

...b

PS. For details on connecting two Macs using Ethernet, from the Finder select "Mac Help" from under the "Help" menu, and enter "Connecting two computers". For details on connecting two Macs using firewire, from the Finder select "Mac Help" from under the "Help" menu, and enter "IP over firewire".

PPS. Since you already have Virtual PC (VPC), what was the problem running your tax application under that? Was it just that it was too slow? Or were there other problems?  No one would ever use "speedy" to describe VPC, but I find VPC6.1/Win2000/PBG4 usable to test web pages under Internet Explorer, etc. If your VPC were just too slow, how much RAM is in your eMac? And how much of that was allocated to your VPC? And which version of Windows were you running under VPC? If your eMac has less than 1GB, it may be that just adding RAM to your eMac would then make VPC at least tolerable enough for running your single Windows application -- the tax program.  Adding RAM would then be your lowest cost solution, with the added benefit that everything else would run better on your eMac with the additional RAM, and you wouldn't have to bother networking two computers. and then remote controlling one from the other, etc. (Although if you traded your eMac for an intel Mac+Parallels I don't think you'd regret it from an ease of use perspective.)

You have given me a lot to think about.
I now realize how much I have concentrated on the applications in the last 10 years
(Photoshop, Final Cut Express, Browsers) and neglected the improvements to the operating
systems. I need to update myself on networking etc.
I can try running a small network using my emac and my wife's ibook.
Thankyou for putting so much time in answering my queries.

I have just completed all the work to resolve my original problem and wished to update those that were so helpful:

My wife upgraded to a Macbook Pro.
I bought  a D-link Router and networked the Macbook and eMac.
I upgraded to high-speed access, using Magma 1MB service.

I was then able to download Bootcamp (143 MB in 40 minutes), and install XP on the Macbook.
I installed last years tax software in XP and it runs perfectly, so I am ready for the 2006 tax year.

I am amazed at how easy it all was, and how well XP runs compared to my previous experience with VirtualPC.