Multiple Users and Multiple Inputs on One Machine?

BozoForPresident asks: "Not long after seeing a dual monitor setup for the first time I thought how useful it'd be to plug in another keyboard and mouse for a second user. That $4000 dual headed laptop (reported on Slashdot on Sunday March 16) becomes a more viable purchase when you add a couple of USB keyboards and mice for an additional user. Microsoft will never do it but how difficult would it be to make Linux handle 2 (or more) streams of input and direct them to their respective windows?"

Comments

It shouldn't be hard at all.

[PurpleFloyd]

Just get a USB hub, a second video card, a USB keyboard, and a USB mouse. Then run two X sessions, each configured to use one K/V/M configuration. The only issue is if you want to run high-end 3D graphics on both monitors, since you can only fit one AGP card into a PC. You might be able to get around this with one of the Matrox or ATI dual-head boards, but I don't know that for certain.

Incidentally, you may want to check out this review of a product that does something similar in Windows, again using multiple video cards.

Alternately, you may want to cruise Ebay for some secondhand X terminals. While they tend to be ridiculously expensive new (on the order of a whole new PC), you may be able to find someone with a few they just want to get rid of. Of course, check out the specs before hand and cruise Google to make sure that they'll work under Linux without any special hardware or software. X may be an open protocol, but it never hurts to be sure.

Re:It shouldn't be hard at all.

[grotgrot]

ThinSoft also have a product that does it for Windows.

Re:It shouldn't be hard at all.

[glitchvern]

Actually it's harder than this, due to problems in linux with the virtual terminal locking code. You end up having to compile a completely seperate X server with all the virtual terminal code removed. Details here. These guys are working on fixing linux's virtual terminal problems. I think the new virtual terminal code is one of the things not making it into 2.5 which will be put into 2.6 at some later point.

Difficult? You jest, sir!

[Pogue Mahone]

It's what X is designed to do, right out of the box - provided that your graphics card (and its driver) can configure the 2nd output as a separate display (nvidia can). Just read your XF86Config file one day and see! The only "problem" you might have is allocating the sound channel(s).

BTW did you know that you can also run multiple virtual X sessions (similar to the virtual terminals but graphical) on the same display/keyboard/mouse? I have 2 sessions running on my machine at home.

With USB devices and a recent XFree86, no

[leonbrooks]

The sticky problems are still with the Linux Console code, in that it doesn't really believe in more than one console with keyboard. However, USB keyboards are easier than PS/2 keyboards (easier to not route through the console), and mice are a non-issue (again, do not route through GPM).

As an alt to an X terminal, try a diskless fanless thin-client box. Motium make those with some really special features, but I don't know if the whizz-bang ones are ready for sale yet.

There is software for windows to do up to 5

[stienman]

A company called thinsoft has a product called BeTwin which does exactly what you're asking.

Hook up to four additional USB keyboards and mice, and a monitor for each station (obviously you'd need more video cards if you want more than two stations) and it treats them all as seperate computers.

I found out about it because MSI bundles a two station version with the geforce 4x00 cards. I haven't tried it, though.

It works for windows.

-Adam

Prior Ask /. on the same topic

[Andrew Lockhart]

This question was asked quite awhile ago here.
There was a tutorial mentioned in the comments.

you can do it on windows already

[aderusha]

sorry to shoot down the trollish anti-ms nature of this post, but this has been available on microsoft platforms as far back as NT 3.51. the first terminal server/citrix platform utilized this technology (multi video/key/mouse, not terminal sessions over ipx/ip). it's now called "ultra thin client" technology.

check here, here, or here.

Re:I saw this on windows back in 1999

[Holi]

The product you are taking about is "Buddy B-210 Virtual PC" Here is a link to a review of the product. http://www.overclockers.com.au/techstuff/r_buddy_b 210/ And I hope you saw english as it was developed by an Australian company. Whether is is still made I cannot say but you may be able to find it on ebay.