Tired of switching back and forth between more than one set of keyboards and mice? Or maybe you want to use two PCs like they are one big one. If you are using Windows, your best bet is to install InputDirector on both of them. If one of your PCs is running Linux, you can use Synergy Plus instead (though it’s not as good as InputDirector)
I’ve used Synergy on Windows and it works, though I had a few (very few) crashing problems. I’ve not used InputDirector.
For several years now I’ve used “MaxiVista” (www.maxivista.com)… (nothing to do with Windows Vista). This “virtual KVM” software virtualized not just mouse and keyboard across multiple PCs, but also display as well. That means that I can extend my primary PC’s desktop onto monitors controlled by other PCs… or just use the keyboard\mouse and take remote control of the other box without any virtual video. As I write this, I have 2 PCs and a laptop connected into a bank of 4 displays in front of me. I use a single keyboard/mouse for all of them and extend my primary desktop onto all of them, but also switch (at a single keypress) back to remote control mode of the remote PC, giving me access to its desktop and any apps running on that box.
In a word, SWEET!
I had to stop using MaxiVista for a couple of years because Vista’s limitation for video drivers all having to be signed by the same manufacturer meant that MaxiVista’s virtual video driver would not co-exist with my ATI or NVidia board. They recently solved that problem and I have used MaxiVista with XP, Vista, Windows 2008, Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2 with no issues for the last few months. I’m extremely happy to be back in MaxiVista land… I used Synergy as a stopgap, but MaxiVista is soooo much better.
thank you for the information Simon Gillbee and tinyhacker.com for the post!!
I’d like to find something that would allow for two keyboards and two mice to work with a single computer (with 2 monitors). With the computing power in a box now, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be able to divide its attention between two users.
My wife could be checking her facebook page on one monitor while I’m reading Tinyhacker or scripting on the other.
If anyone knows of one, I’d love to hear via my Gmail address (same username).