PC + Mac - 1 Keyboard 1 Mouse
So sometimes you really want to use a mouse and keyboard with a laptop - especially when your at a desk. Now we have a pc and a macbook pro - mostly we use the PC, some things you just need the Mac for etc. The only time I’ll need to use an extra mouse and keyboard on the Mac is when the Mac is on the desk. Wouldn’t it be great if i could use the mouse and keyboard from the PC - without unplugging it?
Well you can.
Synergy lets you easily share a single mouse and keyboard between multiple computers with different operating systems, each with its own display, without special hardware. It’s intended for users with multiple computers on their desk since each system uses its own monitor. Redirecting the mouse and keyboard is as simple as moving the mouse off the edge of your screen and onto the next system. Synergy also merges the clipboards of all the systems into one, allowing cut-and-paste between systems. Furthermore, it synchronizes screen savers so they all start and stop together and, if screen locking is enabled, only one screen requires a password to unlock them all.
Don’t even try the OSX port though - unless you fancy playing with command line fire. Instead (as long as the mac is the client - ie the pc without the mouse and keys attached) try SynergyOSX, a Mac GUI version of Synergy, an Open Source project.
And - its works like a beauty. In fact when i do want to share the mouse/keyboard, I just click an icon in the dock (you can start automatically if you like) on the Mac and get using, otherwise the program isn’t even running.
Filed by Kieran at October 5th, 2007 under Geek!