KMremoteControl is absolutely wonderful
Thank you D'Arcy Norman! D'Arcy pointed me at a great software package, KMremoteControl, that implements a software KVM for Mac OS X and Windows machines.
I am typing this on the keyboard connected to my Mac OS X system, but I am typing this into Mozilla on Windows 2000 on the PC whose monitor is next to my Mac OS X system's display.
This is a huge improvement for me. I've needed to use Windows on and off recently to do some browser testing. I don't have nearly as much desk space as I used to. I used to have an L-shaped desk and another normal desk for my computers, now I just have this straight desk, 5" wide. I have a 17" studio display for my work G4, my 14" PowerBook G3 and this PC's 19" CRT monitor on the desk. Needless to say, it's cramped and all of the available space on the front of the desk was taken up by all the keyboards and mice. Now I can eliminate the PC keyboard and mouse, and switch between using my PC and Mac by hitting the Control-Escape key sequence. Very convenient.
So far it seems to work seamlessly. When I move the mouse or type there is NO delay whatsoever, it does not feel like using VNC, for example, it feels like the mouse and keyboard are truly connected to the machine.
And it's kind of fun to watch the little hub these computers are hooked up to go nuts when I shake the mouse or type. 
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May 11th, 2004 - 07:57
Glad it’s working for you. It is pretty cool. The other less-than-useful side effect, is that since it’s basically a KVM implemented over TCP/IP, you can theoretically connect to a machine that’s not on your desk. You can’t see what you’re doing, but still…
May 12th, 2004 - 06:31
I’ve been using KMRC for two or three months now. Works great. I wired the hotkey to switch between the two computers to one of the thumb buttons on my Intellimouse.
My only complaints:
1) Alt-tabbing between Windows apps doesn’t work.
2) No cross-platform clipboard sharing. Fortunately, Spike fulfills this need quite nicely.
May 12th, 2004 - 06:45
On May 12, 2004, at 10:37 AM, Dan Budiac wrote:
> My only complaints:
>
> 1) Alt-tabbing between Windows apps doesn’t work.
I’m not using this product, but I *do* use Remote Desktop Connection
to work on a Win2K Terminal Server from my Mac. Alt-Tab is processed by
the Mac, and thus doesn’t work in the Windows session. But the key
combos of Alt-PgUp and Alt-PgDn work just fine. Try these in
KRemoteControl and see if they work.
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Ed Leafe
Linux Love:
unzip;strip;touch;finger;mount;fsck;more;yes;umount;sleep
May 12th, 2004 - 07:55
On May 12, 2004, at 7:37 AM, Dan Budiac wrote:
> 2) No cross-platform clipboard sharing. Fortunately, Spike
> <http://www.porchdogsoft.com/products/spike/> fulfills this need quite
> nicely.
For years I’ve had one AIM account per computer I use. I keep all of
them logged in and on each other’s buddy lists. I use AIM as my
clipboard… hacky but it works for simple stuff.
Jim
May 12th, 2004 - 12:38
I am with Derman Enterprises, the developers of KMremoteControl. I found your discussion via some web-log analysis software we use.
I wanted to note that there’s some information in the KMrC Release Notes (http://www.derman.com/KMremoteControl/KMrC-ReleaseNotes.html) regarding the Alt-Tab issue. I just tried the Alt-PgUp suggestion while controlling a PC via a Mac … and it didn’t work. #;-( I’d need to get another PC from our other office to test it from PC to PC, so if anyone has more information on this (or any other aspects), please let me know. I’m easiest to contact via a Contact Us link (http://www.derman.com/Contact/AboutUs-Contacts.jsp) on our website (http://www.derman.com/) … ‘though I’ll try to check back here from time to time.
The Alt-Tab issue is one of the more annoying limitations that we’d like to be able to overcome, somehow. However, it looks like Windows has limited this quite effectively. Unfortunately, the Mac has copied this kind of OS-enforced restriction. However, on the Mac, I simply use a third-party switcher … maybe one’s available for the PC, as well.
Anyway, nice to see the discussion. One of the problems with selling software via the Web is that it’s really difficult to get a good, cross-section view of what your customers are actually thinking. #;-)
Later …
May 13th, 2004 - 07:56
On 5/12/04, Ed Leafe said:
>>1) Alt-tabbing between Windows apps doesn’t work.
>
>I’m not using this product, but I *do* use Remote Desktop Connection
>to work on a Win2K Terminal Server from my Mac. Alt-Tab is processed
>by the Mac, and thus doesn’t work in the Windows session. But the key
>combos of Alt-PgUp and Alt-PgDn work just fine. Try these in
>KRemoteControl and see if they work.
Alt-tabbing works with Timbuktu when controlling a Windows machine
with a mac. If anybody cares.
Seth