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Microsoft Invents Split Screen PC

An anonymous reader writes "New technology from Microsoft Research India in Bangalore could end the waiting game in offices with limited computers. Researchers are developing software that splits a computer screen in two halves, each side with its own operating system, desktop, applications, cursor and keyboard." Mom! Timmy is on my side of the screen again!

27 of 348 comments (clear)

  1. Fixed by fatduck · · Score: 5, Funny

    Researchers are developing software that splits a computer screen in two halves, each side with its own Vista CD-Key, desktop, Office 2007 license, cursor and keyboard. And don't even think about copying music from one side of the screen to the other, you pirate!
    --
    Making you think you're crazy is a billion dollar industry.
    1. Re:Fixed by keird · · Score: 5, Funny

      it's like a guiness commerical.

      billg: you know how we've forced every computer user in the world to buy a copy of windows for their computer?
      steveb: yes
      billg: well, i've come up with a way to make them buy TWO copies of windows for each computer!
      steveb: brilliant!
      billg: brilliant!

    2. Re:Fixed by ticklemeozmo · · Score: 5, Funny

      If necessary, a user can move her cursor to the other half of the screen, which opens the door on sharing and collaborating with documents.

      You are right there, just point at the screen. There's no need for virtual collaboration when you have physical collaboration. The ONLY time I can see this being a factor is if my colleague, who is having a heart attack, has the number to 911 in their Outlook Address book and I don't.

      --
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    3. Re:Fixed by Garabito · · Score: 4, Funny

      Microsoft Research: The place where computer scientists produce cool ideas and innovations that never get into Microsoft products.

    4. Re:Fixed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny
      The good thing about this is, you can cram eight customer service reps in one Bangalore cubicle, thus generating better revenue. I hail the innovation!

      But the best part is, you can now fit two competitive WoW teams in the same cubicle on the same screen with different views, which is truly awesome.

      Leeeeeeeeeroy Manpat Sunanilimon! Yee haw!!!!!

  2. All it needs... by 6Yankee · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...is a Hello Kitty theme. I'd gladly suffer it just to piss the other guy off!

  3. Bill Gates quoted saying: by dotgain · · Score: 5, Funny

    "that's the dumbest fucking idea I've heard since I've been at Microsoft."

    1. Re:Bill Gates quoted saying: by buswolley · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yes. Except if your computer simultaneous dual boot

      --

      A Good Troll is better than a Bad Human.

    2. Re:Bill Gates quoted saying: by SpaceLifeForm · · Score: 4, Funny

      Is it electric?

      --
      You are being MICROattacked, from various angles, in a SOFT manner.
  4. Too late for April fools! by gvc · · Score: 4, Funny

    Two virtual desktops on one screen! What will they think of next?

    1. Re:Too late for April fools! by goombah99 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well they consider the fact that you have to have two keyboards a major issue, and the mouse for the person on the right is a problem as it elbow the guy on the right. TO fix this bombay engineerd have developed a new spoken and written language based on a 13 letter alphabet. Actually they have invented two languages. The first language uses the letters "QWERTYASDFGZXC" and the second language uses the letters "YUIOPGHJKLVBNM". Punctuation is only allowed in one language, and top engineers are still working on a base-5 math curriculum for schools.

      In a lab down the hall Microsoft chemists and psychologist are experimenting with drops that can be added to Milk to cause children to develop lefthanded allowing better mousing interaction when one child is lefthanded and one is right.

      An unexpected bonus on the 13 letter alphabet was that now the keyboard can be used one handed allowing the griping hand to hold the mouse all the time. Apparently this is fully engaged mouse posture is helping productivity in the telephone sales boiler rooms of calcutta.

      Problems have arrisen between children unable to speak each others language, and a caste system is developing in which the left-screeners or "sinisters" are considered unclean.

      --
      Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
    2. Re:Too late for April fools! by Saxophonist · · Score: 3, Funny

      13 letter alphabet... "QWERTYASDFGZXC"... "YUIOPGHJKLVBNM"...

      You forgot to mention that there will have to be a protocol developed for sharing the Y and G keys which appear in both of the fourteen-letter alphabets...

    3. Re:Too late for April fools! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      a caste system is developing in which the left-screeners or "sinisters" are considered unclean. No wonder. The left-screeners are the ones who get caps lock. And their only punctuation is the exclamation point. Can you imagine?

      WE R GREAT!!!!!!! WE 133T!!!!!!!!!!!! WE ARE #1!!!!!~~~~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!
  5. Obviously a Microsoft product. by copponex · · Score: 4, Funny

    So, listen, we've really been working on a solution to customer complaints about the high cost of Vista licensing. So, here it is: we'll help you to afford licenses by keeping them at the same price, but offering technology that will allow you to share a computer and the screen so you can afford the licenses.

    Not having a computer for every employee should make Vista financially feasible for your organization. Plus, you get to participate in the Microsoft Buddy System, Or Binary User Licensing and Limited Software/Hardware Integration Team (BULLSHIT), and you get a MS Dubloon (redeemable for t-shirts and pens) for every time you report your very close neighbor for piracy. We would recommend waiting until he or she goes on break before reporting illegal activity. They're pretty much looking at your screen the whole time otherwise.

    Hey! Where are you all going? You get your own keyboard and mouse!

  6. You young people..... by that+this+is+not+und · · Score: 5, Funny

    You young people have it good. When I was a kid, we not only had to share one keyboard, we only had the ONE screen and had to each only use one half, or 40x12 apiece.

    Dad always derided our comments by mentioning that when HE was a kid, he had to share a punched card with all seven of his sibling, so they each only got 10 characters.

    Grandpa would chime in at this point about only getting to use half the dots on a morse code key, his three sisters got the other half of the dots and all the dashes.

  7. Excellent. by FlyingSquidStudios · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now if they figure out a way to reduce my ass by half, the person sharing my monitor can also share my chair!

  8. Its a sure fire win for ..... by 3seas · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... micro management.....

    Ok so you have this 52" or DLP projector screen and the whole office working off of it.

    I can hear it now, as the manager tells Fred to move his cursor faster and Julie to stop slowing the computer down doing company graphics. While leroy on his break can no longer check to see how his stock is doing. Of course Jackson has to work after hours to do accounting as a matter of keeping the company numbers hidden from those who get paid less but do more.....

    Michael, That sentence you are writing should be done this way...

  9. Siamese twins by Tribbin · · Score: 2, Funny

    Apart from for Siamese twins, I don't see this being applied.

    Spare $$$ on the OS or office-suit; buy an extra monitor.

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  10. Extreme programming by iamacat · · Score: 4, Funny

    On the second thought, this would be perfect for extreme programming. Remember, you have to sit close enough to smell each other's farts.

  11. Obligatory jokes.... by Zapotek · · Score: 2, Funny

    kid1: You got WoW in my screen.
    kid2: You got screen in my WoW.

    In Soviet Russia, screen splits YOU!

  12. Re:Dupe! by myyrk · · Score: 3, Funny

    How was he supposed to know it was a dupe, it was on the other half of the screen and since wasn't sharing a keyboard and mouse he didn't think he was supposed to share the screen as well.

  13. Re:no way by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
    how the hell am I supposed to surf porn in peace at work if someone else is sharing the same monitor as me? Well, unless she's cute, I guess...


    Perfect logic.

  14. Photo: Microsoft's I'm-a-PC-I'm-a-Mac Commercial by theodp · · Score: 5, Funny

    Exclusive photo. :-)

  15. Windows XP Starter Edition by vox+nihili · · Score: 2, Funny

    Finally! Now I can open more than 3 windows simultanely!

  16. When BSOD hits... by gentoofu · · Score: 5, Funny

    will it cover the entire screen or just the half of it?

  17. Ballmer Chair by SpaceLifeForm · · Score: 3, Funny

    And then, you'll need the new, patented, Ballmer chair.
    Wide enough to hold two wide butts (or one Ballmer butt)
    to sit in front of the monitor.

    Free chair throwing license included!

    --
    You are being MICROattacked, from various angles, in a SOFT manner.
  18. Obligatory Skinner by IntelliTubbie · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Mother's gone too far. She'd put cardboard over her half of the television. We rented "Man Without A Face" - I didn't even know he had a problem!"

    Cheers,
    IT

    --

    Power corrupts. PowerPoint corrupts absolutely.