Synergy - Share one keyboard & mouse with two (or more) computers and two (or more) screens
It all started out because i REALLY wanted to use my UNICOMP keyboard (the modern version of the IBM model M), which has a pc type mini keyboard connector, with my new Macbook Pro. You see, i’ve switched to mac, and my old PC workstation is still around to run Quickbooks payroll and internet explorer for testing during website development. Sure, I run Paralells desktop on my Mac to run Windows or Suse Linux when I wanted to, but It really nice having the real PC running for testing purposes and for all the old applications I have installed.
I was getting sick of having two keyboards, and two mice on my desk and decided to do something. First I started looking at PS2-USB adapters and USB switches that would allow me to share the single keyboard with two computers. This would work, and the mac is happy to use this keyboard via a USB adapter, but Synergy provides an even better solution. share the single keyboard via software. Its open source, and both PC and Mac GUIs are available. after a quick install on both machines and a little configuring, i can now drag my cursor off my pc screen, onto the laptop screen, and then continuing onto the larger wide-screen panel i have attached to the laptop. as i move to the mac or the pc screen, the computer i an controlling changes - seamlessly. Whats more - I can copy and paste between platforms. copy a URL from firefox on the mac, move the cursor over to the pc screen, paste the URL in internet explorer. BOOM!
I swear, synergy is the best thing since sliced bread. Kudos (and Yes! my donation) to the folks who brought this software to life. Keep up the good work folks, for those of us who use more than one computer - PC/Mac/Unix - your software is a real time saving, productivity boosting miracle.