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The VNC program that I use for remote controlling PCs for support where I work has a few interesting derivatives. One is designed for people with multiple computers at their desk. It allows you to roll the mouse off the edge of one PC and onto another. The keyboard can then be used to enter data on the “remote” PC. Also, and this is particularly useful, it shares the clipboard. The link goes to a beta version of Win2VNC that has multiple monitor support. When I’ve used up all the monitor ports on my new server I’ll have five screens on my desk, all being controlled from the one keyboard and mouse pair.
I’ve known about this program for a while, but I didn’t think I’d bother with it. Then a couple of days back I whacked my mouse cursor against the side of my second monitor, expecting it to continue on to the next screen.
I use Win2VNC at home, but I wasn’t able to do anything useful with it at work because of the lack of multiple monitor support. I’m glad to hear that they have worked that in. More software toys for work now!
Why oh why would you use VNC instead of Windows XP’s Remote Desktop? It’s silky smooth and nobody can walk up to the machine to see what you’re doing.
Unless they changed VNC in the last few years, VNC works by transferring screenshots of areas of the screen that changed, whereas Remote Desktop (also called Terminal Services) sends the low-level commands for drawing the Window and controls compressed and encrypted. Remote Desktop is fast enough for me to watch videos and play mp3’s over DSL (though the mp3’s don’t sound as good because it downgrades sound to save bandwidth).
Remote Desktop also lets you set the screen resolution for what’s best for your local screen, or run it in a Window, and supports full-color, bitmap caching, removable media and printer sharing, etc…
I used to live and die by VNC, and it’s still great for non-Windows machines and Windows machines without Remote Desktop (Win 2k Pro and XP Home). If you’re not sure you have Remote Desktop, check the properties of My Computer, it should be one of the tabs. The client is strangely hidden in the Start Menu – Accessories – Communications.
I use the Terminal Services-based connections when I want to use a remote PC to do something. I use VNC when I’m performing remote maintenance. Terminal services can bugger up installs. VNC is like being at the console. Also, I can quickly whack a VNC viewer on pretty much anything, while the terminal services client is Windows only.
It’s not uncommon for you to see me with a VNC window, a Terminal Services window and an SSH client all running at the same time.