Run Mozenda on Mac

Although you can access the Web Console from any modern browser, the Agent Builder is built to run on Windows. No PC? No problem. You can use the methods below to adapt Mozenda for use on your macOS (or Linux!) device.

Make sure your machine meets system requirements for Mozenda and the requirements of any third party tools you choose.

Set up a virtual machine

Using a virtual machine, also known as hardware virtualization, lets you run an operating system in a window on your desktop (just like an ordinary application, such as a web browser).

Virtual machines are a popular choice because they don’t require additional hardware and allow you to switch quickly between operating systems. However, keep in mind that the host system (your computer) will be sharing its resources (such as disk space and RAM) with the guest system (the virtual Windows machine); this can affect your computer’s performance.

If using a virtual machine sounds like a good solution for you, here is a quick breakdown of some available options:

• VirtualBox (free). Developed by Oracle, this application is free for personal and enterprise use, and it works on multiple platforms (if you are using a Mac, choose the “OS X” option on the downloads page).
• Parallels (paid). Specifically designed for running Windows on a Mac, Parallels offers performance-enhancing features such as virtualization of individual Windows applications rather than of the entire OS.
• VMware Fusion (paid). Like Parallels, this software is specifically designed to run Windows on a Mac platform.

Dual boot

Unlike virtualization, dual-booting involves partitioning your hard drive and installing the new operating system that is separate from the first OS. With the exception of disk space, system resources aren’t shared because only one OS can run at a time. Switching between the two operating systems requires a full reboot.

Boot Camp is Apple’s official utility for dual-booting Windows and macOS on a Mac system and is included by default.

Virtualize in the cloud

Instead of running Windows locally, you can use a cloud-computing platform to run a completely cloud-based virtual machine using your current hardware.

The most popular cloud computing services are Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud Platform. These services have pricing and support tiers that can be found on their respective websites.

Keep in mind that these are enterprise-class solutions that are often used for large-scale applications and server environments, so setting up and configuring these services can take some time and know-how. This route might make more sense if your organization already uses one of these services and a new virtual desktop can be easily added to an existing setup.

If you’re an end-user and think that this might be the best solution for you, consider contacting your company’s IT department for assistance with deploying a cloud-based virtual machine.

Use Mozenda services

If the idea of running a virtual machine or separate hardware doesn’t appeal to you, Mozenda’s professional services are designed to deliver high-quality data quickly and painlessly. We’ll do the work of setting up web scraping agents, gathering and compiling data, and publishing the results to the service of your choice, freeing up your time and resources.

Contact our services team today for a free quote on your next data-gathering project.