Dual PC control and management

electricitylikesme

A short while ago I realized that the main problem with my current multi-monitor setup is that I can't run media applications while also running other, CPU intensive applications. The obvious solution to this for me was to get a second computer to use as my second monitor.

Currently, I've got Debian installed as my second system but honestly, Linux as a desktop is still a terrible proposition and being unable to use my HAVA box on the system is the nail in the coffin.

What I'm wondering now though is if I go back to running Win XP Pro on both my systems (my "main" desktop is Win XP Pro), is there a way I could keep the application suite of both systems "synced" in someway?

My current idea is to just periodically clone the disk of my desktop to the disk of the second computer and do it that way. Does anyone know if there's any way out there currently to just drag applications between two separate computers or the like?

exoplasm

I'm not sure on the application syncing, but I do have some advice to cut down on desk clutter: http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/

I was playing around with it tonight and it's deliciously awesome. Had my laptop on one monitor and my desktop on the other, seamless transitions between them and I don't have to use a crappy laptop keyboard.

Storm Shadow

Also, check out Stardock's Multiplicity

electricitylikesme

I'm well aware of synergy, it's what I'm using now. I'm mostly concerned about whether there's some sane way to deal with running multiple separate PCs from an applications perspective.

The dream would be if there was someway a running application could be sent from one to the other by somehow copying it's running memory state and the like, but I imagine such a functionality might be complicated.

Veegeezee

If you're set on using XP, you might check out Groove. I haven't used it enough to vouch for it, but from what I gather it's supposed to be a collaborative workspace tool that handles any kind of data. It's not, like, click-and-drag the running application type thing, but it'll track changes when they're written to disk.

There's a little bit of google-able info out there but most of it looks like froofy sales pitch to me right now. Maybe you'll have better luck.