X2X

X2X is a nifty tool that allows the mouse and keyboard on one computer to control the X display of another (presumably nearby) computer... for example, my desktop (with nice logitech keyboard and my favourite mouse) controlling the X display on my laptop (a nice enough machine, but would anyone with human-sized hands voluntarily use a laptop keyboard and a glidepad?) In effect, I get two displays controlled by one keyboard and mouse - as I mouse off the right side of my desktop display, the mouse pointer pops onto the laptop.

Problem is, I keep forgetting the magical incantation. So for the following setup:

Desktop, on left
Laptop, on right, IP address 192.168.12.205

I do this:


ssh -X 192.168.12.205 x2x -to :0 -east


There are other options out there for controlling multiple displays with the one keyboard and mouse... for example, Synergy can do more than 2 screens, and works on Windows and Mac as well as Unix. It's quite good, and I've used it in the past, but it needs to be installed, and you have to set up the config files, so it takes a bit more doing.