Posted by
michael
on from the double-your-pleasure dept.
cojsl writes "Anandtech reviews the Jetway Magic Twin small form-factor PC that allows two simultaneous users on one Windows PC. The article mentions a mobo only option too."
SImpson's did it!
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 4, Funny
I mean UNIX did it!
But how well does it handle FPS games?
by
Seng
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
I'm guessing not real well...
Wondering about licensing and grammar
by
The+I+Shing
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
I wonder how licensing will work for software installed on such a computer.
Will software makers insist that multiple licenses be bought for software that will be used by two users simultaneously?
And speaking of things being equal, I feel a Grammar Raid coming on...
"Magic Twin looks like a pretty unique solution..." the article says. Why do people insist on qualifying the word unique? Something is either unique or it isn't. An object cannot be "somewhat unique" or "almost totally unique." The word means one of a kind, and without equal. Something either has equals or it doesn't.
Grammar Slammer Bammer slam Igor tomorrow, for sure!
-- You are in error. No-one is screaming. Thank you for your cooperation.
Re:Wondering about licensing and grammar
by
Mr.+Bad+Example
·
· Score: 5, Funny
> An object cannot be "somewhat unique" or "almost totally unique." The word means one of a kind, and without equal. Something either has equals or it doesn't.
That's the most perfect description of a superlative I've ever seen.
Re:Wondering about licensing and grammar
by
pla
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
I wonder how licensing will work for
software installed on such a computer.
For a better question, I wonder if anyone
(other than Microsoft) will care.
Not a troll or flamebait - Really, how many
home users actually went out and bought
Windows or Office? For a business, a few
hundred bucks might not mean much (particularly
in comparison with getting caught running an
unlicensed app). For a home user, many people
balk at even paying $50 for their tax
software, nevermind something as mundane as
a word processor and spreadsheet (and the
rest, that I have yet to see anyone use
outside a work environment).
People get Windows with their machines. They
get Office from a friend or borrow the install
CD from work. Legality simply doesn't matter,
end of story.
Or, for an already-common analogy, how many
people paid extra fees to use on a dual-CPU
box (most commercial software includes provisions
limiting its use to on a per-CPU basis as well)?
Answer? No one. Even businesses usually
overlook that one, for "mere" duals.
Watch out for the licensing issues here
by
Amiga+Lover
·
· Score: 5, Insightful
from the review the units abilities"
1 PC can be used by 2 users at the same time
2 users can browse the internet, send and receive email at the same time
2 users can access all software installed on the PC at the same time (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Data Base, games, etc.)
2 users can play games against each other with a dual-port VGA card
I know many softwares of mine have claims that only one person may use it on one machine at one time. What does this mean? If two Excels are loaded on the same machine at the same time where is the licensing happening? No check over network will find any but it's own self running when really it's running for another user anyway on the same machine and that would still end up being a violation of the licensing of a product.
MS would not be amused.
Ready for the jokes?
by
eric76
·
· Score: 4, Funny
How about the blonde who had one of these with a KVM switch to handle both screens?
Does the hard drive look seperate for each user? Or are they piggy-backing onto the Fast User Switching / Built-in Terminal Server feature of XP to provide user seperation?
The article is _light_ on detail for a five page pseudo-advertisement.
Fuck.
-- Fuck Beta. Fuck Dice
Unique? No... but legal questions?
by
NitroWolf
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
It's not unique. This has been around for more than a decade. I remember an add on card for sale in CompUSA that allowed this exact thing.
I never bought one, because I never had a need. But this is no unique, in so far as allowing to people to use the same box via a mouse and keyboard. It's kinda nice to see this functionality updated, but it's certianly not unique.
However, it leads to some legal question for software licenses.
Most EULA's say you can run "One instance of the software on ONE machine at a time" - how does this apply to this machine? If you run two instances of a software package on the same machine, are you in violation of the EULA? My gut reation is yes... but will they really care?
Depends. If it's not popular, this obviously won't be inforced, but if this is something that becomes more popular, will we start to see software that won't let you run multiple instances of it at once?
The article says you can play head to head VGA games against each other... but how does that work if you're only running one instance, or are you running two instances?
This just doesn't seem all that practical for game playing. For productivity apps, though, this could be killer for cube rats. IT could deploy one machine for two cubes, cutting your hardware budget, and support in half!
Lots of questions, both technical and legal need to be worked out before this could really take off. Couple that with the fact that previous attempts at this didn't seem to fly, for whatever reason, it makes me wonder if this isn't already a dead technology.
this wasn't a review
by
bmajik
·
· Score: 5, Insightful
this was an ad.
not a single thing was said about how it works. How does the 2nd keyboard direct its keystrokes to the 2nd display ? Is the 2nd display an RDP client, or is it a 2nd monitor of window session 0 ? Are the two users running as different XP logins ? what does the magic twin software do ? new keyboard driver ? new mouse driver ? new audio driver ?
Without knowing how this thing works, it's a non article.
-- My opinions are my own, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.
More information plus pricing
by
erick99
·
· Score: 5, Informative
This website does a pretty good job explaining the technology involved and also provides some pricing.
Happy Trails!
Erick
-- http://www.busyweather.com/
Also via a PCI card
by
phoebe
·
· Score: 5, Informative
Applica have been doing this for a bit, they also sell 4-station cards so that 5 users can share one PC!
Re:Terminal Server
by
pseudochaotic
·
· Score: 5, Funny
It's not IMPOSSIBLE to do, but I'm interested to see how they did it.
Yeah. Wouldn't it be great if slashdot linked to an article or something?
There are already a few misguided posts on the matter so hopefully, I can clear this up for you.
Microsoft and many other software makers already address this licensing issue. On this machine Microsoft requires either two licenses for Windows or one Windows license and a Terminal Server Client Access license. For MS Office a license is required for each per seat instance. SO, two users in Word requires two licenses.
This same licensing system is also required by many/most other commercial vendors. Anyone familiar with Terminal services or Citrix should be familiar with this licensing model. If they aren't Microsoft will enjoy speaking with them.
Re:should possible on any PC with sufficient hardw
by
Qwell
·
· Score: 5, Informative
Not a whole lot keeps two X servers from running locally. I saw this howto at tldp.org a few months ago, and was very interested. It requires a kernel patch or two, but it seems very nice. http://tldp.org/HOWTO/XFree-Local-multi-user-HOWTO/
-- As of 10/06/03, I hate COBOL developers.
Re:Terminal Server
by
kimgh
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
I have Win XP Pro, and, while 2 users can be logged in at one time (one at the console, the other over a network), they both cannot be working at the same time.
I don't call that "truly multi-user."
By contrast, my Mac, running OS X, is truly multi-user: I can connect to it over the network while someone else is at the console, and we both can do stuff.
But that's just how Microsoft chose to license it (XP workstation). There is nothing inherent in the OS, that prevents them from working in parallel. In fact, NT Servers (XP and 2000) allow multiple people to login. I'm using Remote Desktop right now to access one from my FreeBSD box.
Also, rumors are, the limit on the number of simultamious users can be increased by careful editing of the registry, but I can not find the link right now...
-- In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
Re:Terminal Server
by
Malc
·
· Score: 4, Informative
bhtooefr is correct. There can be only one person connected whether it be at the console or via RDP. Logging on via RDP disconnects everybody else and connects to an existing desktop if that user has already logged in. Logging on at the console will then disconnect that remote user, and connect to the same session if it is the same username.
I wish there were a way to hack XP's terminal services to allow multiple concurrent logons.
I already did the same thing with plain old X-windows on a linux *LAPTOP*. Windows is so behind the times. (With X, you can define the two outputs of the video card (VGA out and the LCD screen) to be different screens altogether, and define one to use the laptop's keyboard and laptop's touchpad, and the other to use a usb keyboard and mouse, and violla, localhost:1.0 is user 1 on the laptop, and localhost:2.0 is user 2 using the usb keyboard, mouse, and the external VGA monitor.)
--
Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.
Slashdot Mirror
I mean UNIX did it!
I'm guessing not real well...
I wonder how licensing will work for software installed on such a computer.
Will software makers insist that multiple licenses be bought for software that will be used by two users simultaneously?
And speaking of things being equal, I feel a Grammar Raid coming on...
"Magic Twin looks like a pretty unique solution..." the article says. Why do people insist on qualifying the word unique? Something is either unique or it isn't. An object cannot be "somewhat unique" or "almost totally unique." The word means one of a kind, and without equal. Something either has equals or it doesn't.
Grammar Slammer Bammer slam Igor tomorrow, for sure!
You are in error. No-one is screaming. Thank you for your cooperation.
from the review the units abilities"
1 PC can be used by 2 users at the same time
2 users can browse the internet, send and receive email at the same time
2 users can access all software installed on the PC at the same time (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Data Base, games, etc.)
2 users can play games against each other with a dual-port VGA card
I know many softwares of mine have claims that only one person may use it on one machine at one time. What does this mean? If two Excels are loaded on the same machine at the same time where is the licensing happening? No check over network will find any but it's own self running when really it's running for another user anyway on the same machine and that would still end up being a violation of the licensing of a product.
MS would not be amused.
How about the blonde who had one of these with a KVM switch to handle both screens?
What's it mean when there is an advertisment for the box being reviewed right beside the review?...
I do security
How will it know which virus to run first?
Slashdot sucks
what happends when you BSOD twice? Do they cancel each other out and the computer works again?
Your hair look like poop, Bob! - Wanker.
Does the hard drive look seperate for each user? Or are they piggy-backing onto the Fast User Switching / Built-in Terminal Server feature of XP to provide user seperation?
The article is _light_ on detail for a five page pseudo-advertisement.
Fuck.
Fuck Beta. Fuck Dice
It's not unique. This has been around for more than a decade. I remember an add on card for sale in CompUSA that allowed this exact thing.
I never bought one, because I never had a need. But this is no unique, in so far as allowing to people to use the same box via a mouse and keyboard. It's kinda nice to see this functionality updated, but it's certianly not unique.
However, it leads to some legal question for software licenses.
Most EULA's say you can run "One instance of the software on ONE machine at a time" - how does this apply to this machine? If you run two instances of a software package on the same machine, are you in violation of the EULA? My gut reation is yes... but will they really care?
Depends. If it's not popular, this obviously won't be inforced, but if this is something that becomes more popular, will we start to see software that won't let you run multiple instances of it at once?
The article says you can play head to head VGA games against each other... but how does that work if you're only running one instance, or are you running two instances?
This just doesn't seem all that practical for game playing. For productivity apps, though, this could be killer for cube rats. IT could deploy one machine for two cubes, cutting your hardware budget, and support in half!
Lots of questions, both technical and legal need to be worked out before this could really take off. Couple that with the fact that previous attempts at this didn't seem to fly, for whatever reason, it makes me wonder if this isn't already a dead technology.
this was an ad.
not a single thing was said about how it works. How does the 2nd keyboard direct its keystrokes to the 2nd display ? Is the 2nd display an RDP client, or is it a 2nd monitor of window session 0 ? Are the two users running as different XP logins ? what does the magic twin software do ? new keyboard driver ? new mouse driver ? new audio driver ?
Without knowing how this thing works, it's a non article.
My opinions are my own, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.
Happy Trails!
Erick
http://www.busyweather.com/
Applica have been doing this for a bit, they also sell 4-station cards so that 5 users can share one PC!
It's not IMPOSSIBLE to do, but I'm interested to see how they did it.
Yeah. Wouldn't it be great if slashdot linked to an article or something?
And the l33t shall inherit the 34r7h.
There are already a few misguided posts on the matter so hopefully, I can clear this up for you.
Microsoft and many other software makers already address this licensing issue. On this machine Microsoft requires either two licenses for Windows or one Windows license and a Terminal Server Client Access license. For MS Office a license is required for each per seat instance. SO, two users in Word requires two licenses.
This same licensing system is also required by many/most other commercial vendors. Anyone familiar with Terminal services or Citrix should be familiar with this licensing model. If they aren't Microsoft will enjoy speaking with them.
Not a whole lot keeps two X servers from running locally. I saw this howto at tldp.org a few months ago, and was very interested. It requires a kernel patch or two, but it seems very nice.O /
http://tldp.org/HOWTO/XFree-Local-multi-user-HOWT
As of 10/06/03, I hate COBOL developers.
I don't call that "truly multi-user."
By contrast, my Mac, running OS X, is truly multi-user: I can connect to it over the network while someone else is at the console, and we both can do stuff.
But that's just how Microsoft chose to license it (XP workstation). There is nothing inherent in the OS, that prevents them from working in parallel. In fact, NT Servers (XP and 2000) allow multiple people to login. I'm using Remote Desktop right now to access one from my FreeBSD box.
Also, rumors are, the limit on the number of simultamious users can be increased by careful editing of the registry, but I can not find the link right now...
In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
bhtooefr is correct. There can be only one person connected whether it be at the console or via RDP. Logging on via RDP disconnects everybody else and connects to an existing desktop if that user has already logged in. Logging on at the console will then disconnect that remote user, and connect to the same session if it is the same username.
I wish there were a way to hack XP's terminal services to allow multiple concurrent logons.
I already did the same thing with plain old X-windows on a linux *LAPTOP*. Windows is so behind the times. (With X, you can define the two outputs of the video card (VGA out and the LCD screen) to be different screens altogether, and define one to use the laptop's keyboard and laptop's touchpad, and the other to use a usb keyboard and mouse, and violla, localhost:1.0 is user 1 on the laptop, and localhost:2.0 is user 2 using the usb keyboard, mouse, and the external VGA monitor.)
Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.