Reader question: Two laptops, one desk
Reader Rob writes in to ask,
I suppose I’m a bit of a classic telecommuter. I have a work laptop (a Dell Latitude) and a home laptop (a 15″ MacBook Pro). While at home I’m only actively working on one or the other, of course, but I find myself needing to move back and forth from time to time. Having two “active” laptops is annoying and eliminates one of the great benefits of having a laptop – the small desk footprint.
I’m wondering if you all – or your other readers – have any suggestions to help remedy this particular problem. I’ve considered buying a monitor stand (even though I don’t use a monitor) just so I can stack one laptop on top of the other and pull out whichever I’m using at any given moment. That seems like a hack, though, so I’m looking for something more…elegant.
Laptop stands are actually very useful. I use an iCurve from Griffin to hold up my MacBook at eye level on my desk. (Check out my set up here.) That doesn’t really solve your two laptop problem, though. A much more elegant solution would be to have a single monitor, keyboard and mouse that both laptops hook up to. Then, have the laptops out of the way somewhere (perhaps under the desk) and then use a KVM switch to bring up on your screen whichever system you want to use. Our co-blogger PJ recommends the Iogear 2 Port Compact USB KVM Switch for this. There are also software solutions such as Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Connection or Synergy.
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Posted by Jerry on Aug 7, 2007 |
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19 comments posted
Posted by Scott Houchin - 08/07/2007
I do something similar with my Mac desktop and windows laptop at work. Since I have a big screen and nice keyboard on the mac, I put the laptop to the side and connect to it using MS’s remote desktop. Screen redraw isn’t as fast as working on the machine itself, but its certainly usable.
Posted by Ed Eubanks Jr. - 08/07/2007
If you have an iCurve or similar stand (the newer Elevator is also nice) and a KVM switch, one laptop could go on top (probably the one that you’re more likely to want dual monitors with) and the other underneath, which is supposed to be space for a keyboard. this “stacking” would keep them from touching– thus preventing heat issues, etc.– but would minimize the footprint.
Posted by William Barry - 08/07/2007
I’ve got a similar problem. I have three machines: a mac tower, a macbook pro, and a windows box. As a web developer, I’m always wanting to tweak my projects at different times, so I like to keep my project files on my macbook, but at the office, it makes sense to use the tower since it has bigger screens. My solution when I’m at the office is to use my macbook simply as a fileserver, then use my two towers (mac and windows) for development. I use synergy between the two towers, and couldn’t be happier with how it works.
For your situation, you could do something similar. Sit the two laptops side by side, and use synergy to control them both. This eliminates any kvm hardware or additional wires between the machines.
Hope that helps.
Posted by Gabe - 08/07/2007
Have you considered just installing Windoze on your MBP and reducing to one computer? Then you could probably write off the cost of the MBP as a work expense. If you do not need to move back and forth too often, use bootcamp to do it. If you need to go back and forth often, then I hear that parallels works well but I do not have actual experience with that method.
I prefer the BootCamp method as the only time I use Windoze is when I have a specific thing to do in one of the few Windoze only apps that I use, and this creates sort of an ultra productivity environment. No mail, IM, RSS, etc… distractions. Boot up and get it done!
I think that if I were in what sounds to be your situation, I would just use the MBP and keep only the Windoze files I need for the week on the Mac. Use a half hour or so on Mon and Fri to transfer/backup/archive to the Dell, and leave it on a shelf or something the rest of the week.
Hope that is helpful or at least somthing to think about. Uncluttering starts with Reduction, IMHO.
Posted by max - 08/07/2007
I agree with the other comments that a laptop stand (or two) will help with ergonomics. While a KVM will enable use of a single keyboard and mouse, it still requires a switching action (push a button, hit a keystroke) to move back and forth.
I would recommend looking into Synergy. I use a similar, Mac only solution for my setup: Teleport.
My wireless mouse & keyboard are connected to my iMac on my home desk. When I plug in my MacBook (on laptop stand with external monitor) next to it, I’m able to move the mouse cursor over to the laptop screen and now I’m in control of the MacBook. Move the cursor back to the iMac, I’m controlling it.
Then I bring the laptop to the office, drop on the desk next to the MacPro monitor and do the same thing there!
In addition, I find that Teleport sends _all_ keyboard commands to the active host (unlike VNC solutions). So Expose, Quicksilver, etc. all work seamlessly, regardless of which system I’m controlling.
Hope this helps.
Posted by nVIR - 08/07/2007
Try the software “Synergy”, using one mouse and one keyboard for both computers, across the network. I’ve used it for years now, and wouldn’t change it for anything else!
Posted by tom - 08/07/2007
At work, my desktop is Linux. I use terminal services & RDP to connect to my XP Pro laptop. Works great.
At home, I have a Linux laptop. In the basement I have a Mac and a linux box running VMware server. I use VNC to get into the mac. It even goes through the login. I have XP Pro running inside VMware server on the linux box. I RDP into that. VNC doesn’t let you get to the login screen in XP Home.
RDP is nice because you get cut&paste. You should be able to redirect sound as well. A KVM won’t let you cut & paste.
How about VMware Fusion, Parallels or something similar on the Macintosh?
Posted by Char - 08/07/2007
Parallels on your Mac will also allow you to run Windows programs, and has the advantage that you don’t have to reboot to use it as you do with Boot Camp.
Posted by raisin - 08/07/2007
I have the same situation going on, and the best thing I found is a Dell D/Port replicator. Drop the latitude on the replicator and access it from a kvm or your choice of remote desktop. The beauty is that you can put the port replicator and the latitude anywhere within reason. I put mine on a shelf under my desk and access it from my linux machine via vnc.
Posted by Carrie - 08/07/2007
Just have to comment, your amazon.com leaderboard on the left is showing me ads for nursing bras. On an uncluttering blog.
I think Big Brother is here.
But I am glad to have found your blog. I despise clutter too.
Posted by Erik Ordway - 08/07/2007
Extract the pc laptop as a VM image and use it in VMware Fusion. Use the pc laptop to hold up the corner of the table.
Posted by Kirk Roberts - 08/07/2007
If you opt for the KVM solution (which is deliciously low-tech) be forewarned that the switch recommended in the article has VGA connectors (pretty sure about this, as it looks just like one I had). As far as I know, you’ll need a DVI connector for your MacBook Pro. Make sure to check what connectors your machines and the KVM switch have before you buy!
For what it’s worth, I’m going to be so glad to finally get a MBP and use Parallels… having a Windows machine just for testing websites practically defines “clutter.”
Posted by Sam Clifford - 08/07/2007
If you can afford the desk real estate, Synergy is worth using. You don’t have to buy any software or a KVM switch and monitor and it’s cross-platform.
It also gives you a shared clipboard if I remember correctly.
Posted by The Shopping Sherpa - 08/07/2007
IKEA Hacker has some interesting laptop solutions which might help: http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com.....stand.html
Posted by Anonymous - 08/07/2007
Geez. I get annoyed with one computer. I find USB thumb drives solve all the problems of multiple computer needs.
Posted by Anonymous - 08/11/2007
You could eliminate the Windows device by loading Windows in Parallels. Another solution is to have the Windows laptop running but closed and out of site and connect to it with some of the tools already mentioned (remote desktop, VNC, or my personal favorite Cord)
Posted by Rob Wilkerson - 08/13/2007
Thanks for all of the advise, folks. Here are some things I should have specified:
1. One laptop is a Windows laptop that belongs to the office. The other is my personal Mac. I already run Parallels on the Mac, but for legal/liability reasons, I need to keep work stuff on the work machine.
2. I actually prefer the laptop screen because of it’s tiny footprint. My desk faces the door and I can’t stand having a big ol’ monitor in front of my face blocking my view of the door. That makes a KVM solution useless (I’m not familiar with Synergy – yet).
3. When I’m using one laptop, I think I’d like to close the other and have it set aside entirely. That said, if remoting in from my home machine to my work machine is reasonably performant, then maybe that’s a reasonable solution.
Thanks again to everyone.
Posted by steph - 08/18/2007
In case your going for the two laptops – one screen, many dell monitors have 4 different video inputs, including VGA and DVI. This way you can connect the PC to the VGA and the mac to the DVI and easily switch between them, without the need of an external video device.
Posted by Rob Wilkerson - 09/25/2007
For the sake of anyone breathlessly following this thread to its conclusion, I ended up solving my problem by acquiring an additional docking station from the folks at the office who control such things.
The docking station sits on my server rack – entirely out of my way – and now when I’m home I just place my laptop on the docking station (with the lid closed) and use Remote Desktop Connection to access that machine from my mac. Works well since the laptop’s display resolution is an intolerable 1024×768.
So now my second laptop isn’t on my desk at all and is no longer a source of clutter. Thanks again to all who offered solutions.
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