Synergy, An Open Source K/M Switch (and more!) - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Nhanced1 · 03-23-2004, 07:11 PM

I just found this open source program named "Synergy" that is perfect for geeks like me with the twobox or more setup. Ive got two computers on my desk and each has its own monitor, keyboard and mouse. But while I'm running Synergy, I can move the mouse of my main system ACROSS the two screens and interact with my second computer as if it were a second monitor. It also focuses the keyboard on my main system to whatever system my mouse is on. It also runs on a client/server architecture so that the server is the machine with the main keyboard and mouse and its clients are the machines that you wish to control. It's so awesome to be able to connect with the two computers so seemlessly. You can even use it between linux and windows machines, or like me, between windows machines.

Check it out guys. I love it and I can't imagine living without it now.

http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/index.html

Quote:

From Synergy's Website

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(s).

Redirecting the mouse and keyboard is as simple as moving the mouse off the edge of your screen. 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.

digme · 03-23-2004, 07:30 PM

holy balls, that looks neat. I'll try it out tomorrow at work, and give my opinion.

wraithhibn · 03-23-2004, 08:21 PM

Saw this on TechTV tonight huh? I saw it while flipping channels. Looks like a good idea for multiple desktops.

oblar · 03-23-2004, 09:18 PM

that seems like an awesome program.. I just wish i hadnt gotten rid of my second monitor

kwoodmex · 03-24-2004, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wraithhibn
Saw this on TechTV tonight huh? I saw it while flipping channels. Looks like a good idea for multiple desktops.

Yup saw that too, TechTV, it's an interesting watch now and again.

ratbastid · 03-24-2004, 03:57 PM

Oh my GOD! Just yesterday I was sitting at my two-computer desk trying to do a task that involved paging out downloads to my secondary machine. Rolling back and forth between my two machines, typing a little here, mousing a little there, the thought struck me, "Man. This is worse than doing two girls at once!"

And then I had this vision, this thought... Wouldn't it be cool if I could treat that other machine like it was a dual-head of my main machine? Like I could just roll my mouse over there and click a few things?

And then today... HERE THAT IS!!! Unbelievable.

For my next trick, I will imagine somebody bringing me a million dollars.

Nhanced1 · 03-24-2004, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wraithhibn
Saw this on TechTV tonight huh? I saw it while flipping channels. Looks like a good idea for multiple desktops.

I actually caught a link to synergy from a review of a flatscreen monitor that was actually two 15 inch lcds put next to each other with one stand and in one frame. It was neat because they used synergy to tie two xp boxes together on this giant monitor.

Here's a link to that review:

http://www.modasylum.com/reviews.php?review=38

and I found that link at

http://www.hardocp.com

cheese · 03-24-2004, 09:18 PM

working on installing it now... gonna be fun cuz i dont knwo dick about linux and i just whiped my old puter and put redhat on it.

wish me luck

Homey_V · 03-24-2004, 09:28 PM

This looks pretty nifty. Unfortunatley I dont have the resources to try it myself. Anyone else running it across Windows and Linux?

Fallon · 03-25-2004, 05:35 AM

When I get my copy of Linux fully updated and such, I'll throw it on there along with my fiancee's XP comp. But on dialup, that could take awhile with 300+ megs worth of updates.

fracturedmind · 03-26-2004, 04:33 PM

Wasn't there a commcercial application that did this (and a bit more)?

Anyone happen to know the name?

Fallon · 03-26-2004, 06:49 PM

Well, just plopped that puppy on my two computers. Works nice, but wasn't what I thought it'd be. I was hopin it'd slide a window over or somethin, but it definately is nice/wierd all wrapped into one lil bag... =p

Confederate · 01-19-2006, 01:02 PM

I was going to start this thread. but I'm glad I did a search. I just installed it on my main comp and my laptop. I have a laptop docking station next to my main comp, and I can use one keyboard and mouse to control both, at first I was a little wary of setting it up, but it installed in a breeze. I'm Loving it!

RAGEAngel9 · 01-19-2006, 02:16 PM

Yeah I tried this out last year when both my pcs where on XP and it was amazing!
Except when gaming, then I had to turn it off until done.

I never did get it working between my linux and xp boxes, btu I never tried that hard so I don't know if it really is that difficult.

cyrnel · 01-19-2006, 02:39 PM

Good bump. Synergy is incredibly useful. I wrote a Mac version way back when I had 6 machines & 10 monitors glowing at me, but honestly Synergy makes what I did look like crap.

sailor · 01-20-2006, 09:09 AM

Yeah, I used to use this a good bit. I'd have my laptop running right next to my main computer, and its great to be able to just sidle over there with my main mouse and do something. Very, very cool app.

Rage is right though, it doesn't play nice with games. Make sure to turn it off if you load up WoW or something...

mmbcook · 01-27-2006, 01:07 AM

neato! gonna try this! thanks!

jujueye · 01-28-2006, 01:22 PM

Freaks Ahoy that looks cool. I can use it at home for sure for file movement between machines, and can definitely use it at work. We'll be building up a test lab for hmtl/Tomcat/RedHat/blahblah testing, so commading multiple machines from one place sounds awesome. Add this to some terminal services apps and it becomes even more awesome.

THANKS!!!

03-23-2004, 08:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
wraithhibn Dopefish Location: the 'Ville	Saw this on TechTV tonight huh? I saw it while flipping channels. Looks like a good idea for multiple desktops. __________________ If you won't dress like the Victoria Secret girls, don't expect us to act like soap opera guys.

03-23-2004, 09:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
oblar Über-Rookie Location: No longer, D.C	that seems like an awesome program.. I just wish i hadnt gotten rid of my second monitor __________________ "All that we can do is just survive. .All that we can do to help ourselves is stay alive." - Rush

03-24-2004, 09:28 PM	#9 (permalink)
Homey_V Psycho Location: Canada	This looks pretty nifty. Unfortunatley I dont have the resources to try it myself. Anyone else running it across Windows and Linux? __________________ You did what with a duck?

03-26-2004, 04:33 PM	#11 (permalink)
fracturedmind Crazy Location: Dallas, TX	Wasn't there a commcercial application that did this (and a bit more)? Anyone happen to know the name? __________________ It won't give up, it wants me dead, god damn this voice inside my head.
$fracturedmind is offline$

01-19-2006, 02:39 PM	#15 (permalink)
cyrnel Adequate Location: In my angry-dome.	Good bump. Synergy is incredibly useful. I wrote a Mac version way back when I had 6 machines & 10 monitors glowing at me, but honestly Synergy makes what I did look like crap. __________________ There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

03-23-2004, 07:30 PM	#2 (permalink)
digme Crazy Location: madison, wi	holy balls, that looks neat. I'll try it out tomorrow at work, and give my opinion.

03-24-2004, 03:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	Oh my GOD! Just yesterday I was sitting at my two-computer desk trying to do a task that involved paging out downloads to my secondary machine. Rolling back and forth between my two machines, typing a little here, mousing a little there, the thought struck me, "Man. This is worse than doing two girls at once!" And then I had this vision, this thought... Wouldn't it be cool if I could treat that other machine like it was a dual-head of my main machine? Like I could just roll my mouse over there and click a few things? And then today... HERE THAT IS!!! Unbelievable. For my next trick, I will imagine somebody bringing me a million dollars.

03-24-2004, 09:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
cheese Psycho Location: In your bath tub with all your other rubber toys	working on installing it now... gonna be fun cuz i dont knwo dick about linux and i just whiped my old puter and put redhat on it. wish me luck

03-25-2004, 05:35 AM	#10 (permalink)
Fallon Junkie Location: RI	When I get my copy of Linux fully updated and such, I'll throw it on there along with my fiancee's XP comp. But on dialup, that could take awhile with 300+ megs worth of updates.

03-26-2004, 06:49 PM	#12 (permalink)
Fallon Junkie Location: RI	Well, just plopped that puppy on my two computers. Works nice, but wasn't what I thought it'd be. I was hopin it'd slide a window over or somethin, but it definately is nice/wierd all wrapped into one lil bag... =p

01-19-2006, 01:02 PM	#13 (permalink)
Confederate Death Leprechaun Location: College Station, TX	I was going to start this thread. but I'm glad I did a search. I just installed it on my main comp and my laptop. I have a laptop docking station next to my main comp, and I can use one keyboard and mouse to control both, at first I was a little wary of setting it up, but it installed in a breeze. I'm Loving it!

01-19-2006, 02:16 PM	#14 (permalink)
RAGEAngel9 Insane Location: Vermont	Yeah I tried this out last year when both my pcs where on XP and it was amazing! Except when gaming, then I had to turn it off until done. I never did get it working between my linux and xp boxes, btu I never tried that hard so I don't know if it really is that difficult.

01-20-2006, 09:09 AM	#16 (permalink)
sailor beauty in the breakdown Location: Chapel Hill, NC	Yeah, I used to use this a good bit. I'd have my laptop running right next to my main computer, and its great to be able to just sidle over there with my main mouse and do something. Very, very cool app. Rage is right though, it doesn't play nice with games. Make sure to turn it off if you load up WoW or something... __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." --Plato

01-27-2006, 01:07 AM	#17 (permalink)
mmbcook Upright	neato! gonna try this! thanks!

01-28-2006, 01:22 PM	#18 (permalink)
jujueye alpaca lunch for the trip Location: in my computer	Freaks Ahoy that looks cool. I can use it at home for sure for file movement between machines, and can definitely use it at work. We'll be building up a test lab for hmtl/Tomcat/RedHat/blahblah testing, so commading multiple machines from one place sounds awesome. Add this to some terminal services apps and it becomes even more awesome. THANKS!!!