Also, to Cameron: If your company requires you to use a specific browser for THEIR FLIPPING INTRANET they should be providing you with a locked down laptop to access it.
Your company wants to dictate what browser you use but are too cheap to give you a $400 laptop? RUN. RUN FAR AND FAST.
Also "professional web sites don't work on a mac" is pure bs.
If you require a specific browser you are anything but professional.
If you think you need to stay on a PC to keep using the web you have been fooled by FUD.
Sounds like excuses to me, Cameron. =) Vote with your wallet, feet, paycheck.
I don't use services I don't trust. I don't accept that "we can't do that" is an acceptable excuse from my employer, my bank, my stores, my anything.
If they can't be bothered to keep up how can you even be sure...
If all you need is IE then yeah, Parallels.
But I recommend you quit any company or service that only supports IE in 2013. Seriously, if they don't give a shit about their product why should you?
Dave knows what it means. He has described the exact customer who wants a Macbook air and an iPad made by anyone but Apple but which is just as good. Good luck with that.
So, why not recommend his friend just buy the damn Macbook Air and iPad? His friend isn't going to be happy with any...