Two Simultaneous Users on One Computer?
Fri Mar 30, 2007 12:31PM EDT
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Reader Jason Beech writes: I have a new PC with a GX2 video card. Is it possible to buy a second monitor, keyboard, and mouse and have two true desktops? Different users of course... so I can be surfing the net and my wife can be working on Photoshop at the same time?
I have good news and bad news for you, Jason.
First the good news: Yes, this is possible with a PC. In fact, it's free if you just want to have two users. Userful's Desktop Multiplier lets you do exactly what you're asking about: Plug in two monitors, keyboards, and mice, and two different people can use a single PC as if they were each using their own computer. In fact, Desktop Multiplier can scale up to supporting 10 users at the same time, if you have enough video cards. (If this sounds familiar, be careful: This is not the same as using one monitor/keyboard/mouse to control multiple computers. That requires a wholly different solution involving a KVM switch, a commonly available product.)
Now the bad news: It only runs on Linux, and there's nothing like this that I've ever seen for Windows. Are you willing to install an entirely new operating system just to be able to allow two users on the machine at the same time? If so, check out the Desktop Server version of Linux, which includes Desktop Multiplier as part of the default installation.
Is it worth it? I have to admit the technology sounds elegant and appealing, but with new PCs available for $399 or even $299 (and used ones even cheaper), what's the point? You're already going to have to buy another monitor... why not just set up a second, super-cheap PC that can be used for web browsing, light word processing, and the like. Two PCs also makes for a neat solution for doing data backups, as you can sync your files between the two computers.
Sorry it's probably not the answer you were looking for, but I hope it's helpful nonetheless.
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2 Posted by polkfb on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:16PM EDT Report Abuse
how do you hook up 2 computes together,so you can transfur..one to the 2 one .whith one monitor/keyboard/mouse
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3 Posted by commorancy on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:28PM EDT Report Abuse
Linux (as a UNIX variant) is a fully multitasking and, more importantly, a fully multiple simultaneous user operating system. So, yes, it's very easy (with the right amount of hardware) to set up multiple completely separate interfaces to the same computer with Linux (or any UNIX). This feature has been available for years and years as a built-in standard. Once set up, all apps should work within each session properly unless the application has been designed specifically not to. Windows, on the other hand, has been primarily designed as a single user desktop system. Yes, if you buy Server edition, you can set up terminal services and remote into the server as a multiuser. But, this requires buying the expensive ($800 or more) Server edition of the Windows operating system and having two other computers/terminal services clients, in addition to the server. That means buying a server and at least two thin client computers or two full-fledged computers to run terminal services client. With the ncomputing device (a third party product) that was mentioned above, this may also be a terminal services client or thin client. This may also require a windows Server edition to function properly. Keep in mind that Windows' userspace isn't always 100% separate from other users and many applications are not designed to work in a multiuser framework. So, you may find some very simple applications that won't work under Terminal Services. Microsoft has never really focused Windows to become an optimal multiuser system. It's just not that lucrative. It's more lucrative to get people to buy a bunch of individual computers (and OS licenses) than buying one license and having multiple people share that same computer. Time shared computing has its places (especially in labs or where space/heat is a factor). But, Windows has not really taken the plunge to do multiuser effectively and properly. Of course, third party companies like Citrix and Ncomputing have found niches in providing a somewhat workable solution. But, you'll still be at the mercy of the Windows OS lack of full multiuser support and, thus, you are likely to constantly bump your head against it (even using products like ncomputing).
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4 Posted by commorancy on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:28PM EDT Report Abuse
Of course, even if you manage to get a thin client working properly, such as what ncomputing offers, one user can still crash the other. Linux/UNIX takes great pains to ensure that one user (in a multiuser situation) cannot easily crash the computer or the other user with user space applications. Windows, on the other hand, doesn't really go to that extreme. So, if someone is surfing on the Internet and another is doing Photoshop, it is possible to completely crash the server machine with these user space applications. This, of course, means that every party using that same computer will lose all of their work. Just something to be wary of if trying to use Windows as a multiuser system.
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5 Posted by thekclyon on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:04PM EDT Report Abuse
Awesome! Me and all 4 of my friends can browse the internet for porn and rub one out in the same room! "Hey, buddy, click rewind for me will ya?"
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1 Posted by pocketdoom on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:15PM EDT Report Abuse
So in an old job we had dumb terminals. That was where you had the terminal with the keyboard running software off of a main computer in the back. With the advances in technology, we are not able to do something that we could do 20 years ago. I find that deplorable.