MacBook Pro - what's best option for university Windows apps?

My son is starting university and considering buying a MacBook Pro (we are a Mac family). However, his math textbooks (calculus and linear algebra) come with bundled software, or keys to downloadable software, that only runs on Windows. I haven't been paying attention, and would appreciate some practical advice on how to run Windows. Please tell me if I understand correctly...
To run either Boot Camp or Parallels, do you have to buy and install a copy of Windows separately? Or is Boot Camp an emulator that doesn't require stand-alone Windows?
What Windows version do you recommend? (Sounds like Vista is problematic)
Can you just install Windows like you install the Mac OS, or is it more complicated?
In my experience, education software is poorly written. Comments on the Apple Store website say Parallels is "picky" about software. Do you think Boot Camp would be enough?
With Boot Camp can you switch back and forth on the desktop (like Parallels says it can), or do you have to re-boot?
Any other observations?
Thanks for any help.

You want a review that looks at both side by side.
Vista is no more a problem than any other OS, and probably easier in some ways.
From around the time Vista came out, so rather dated, and once SP1 is out, well I found BootCamp 1.3 and recent updates and drivers have made using 64-bit fine, stable, and can run all day w/o problems.
http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/01/29/xp-vs-vista/
Cnet Review - how to install Vista
http://vistasupport.mvps.org/installwindowsvista.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Vista
Amazon: "Windows Vista Manual"
http://www.mbreview.com/vista1.php
ComputerWorld: Best and Worst of Vista
http://www.macnn.com/articles/06/09/19/parallels.desktop.for.mac/
Having used Vista for the last year, and OS X for 7, I think it would be easier to go with Vista than "back in time" with XP - if Windows is a new experience.
If they are going to have to use and learn Windows, they'll need to get up to speed on how to lock down their system and use it. That would make a VM easier to get started but yes, native Windows (BootCamp) would be same as using a PC mostly. And force your son to learn Windows (but get him a book to help, too).

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