I’m a computer fanatic; I regularly use Linux, Windows and OS X through out the day. I use MythTV to record and watch Television, travel with a Mac laptop and at home I use Vista on my desktop. One of my biggest frustrations occurs when moving between computers. Often I can’t find a bookmark or a document on one or the other computer. Here’s just a few quick tips and programs I’ve learned to use to solve my problems:
- Google Browser Sync — Google’s browser sync allows me to share my Firefox bookmarks between computers. In addition, it also allows me to share cookies, history, saved passwords, tabs, and windows. Sync only those components you choose to sync with the option of selectively encrypting items. If you don’t need such a full featured sync extension try one of these.
- Synergy lets you share your mouse and keyboard between multiple computers with different operating systems. Since each system uses its own monitor, Synergy is best for those of us who have multiple computers on our desks. Let me reiterate; displays are not shared and no special hardware is required.
- When I’m not at home or I need to access that headless Linux box NoMachine’s Linux terminal server does an awesome job or providing remote access. Client software runs on OS X, Windows and Linux and all transactions are compressed and encrypted. One result of NoMachine open-sourcing their NX technology is the FreeNX server implementation.
- Alt-tab on the Mac is a source of never ending frustration; minimized windows won’t show up, my wife can’t find her opened browser windows and I’m getting tired of trying to remember a new keystroke. There is nothing like your Mac behaving like your Windows and Linux boxen and the excellent freeware window switcher Witch fits the bill.
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