Synergy is one of those lesser-known utilities that actually does a lot more for you than some of the more expensive paid apps you’d shell out triple-digits for. Created by Nick Bolton, Chris Schoeneman, and Sorin Sbârnea, Synergy allows you to control multiple computers from just a single keyboard and mouse. Gone are the days of using expensive, clunky KVM switches. Now you can simply install Synergy, define a few parameters in a config file, run the client and server apps, and off you go! What’s great about Synergy is, when compared to KVM switches, is that it runs through your existing network for sending control and display information.
You can configure each remotely-controlled computer to function as an extended desktop, so as you move your mouse off your primary desktop, it will suddenly appear on the other computer. Synergy’s config file allows you to define where the remote computer is logically placed in this virtual desktop. Imagine you have three computers. You can, for example, have one client computer’s desktop appear to the left of your primary computer and another client appear on the right. When you mouse off the left side of your primary computer, the mouse pointer will appear on the first client computer and likewise on the second client when mousing off the right side. The computer that has the mouse pointer focus gains access to the keyboard. Sometimes this requires a little bit more effort to take hold but, considering the app is free, this minor bug is hardly anything to complain about.
Synergy is cross-platform, available on Windows, Linux, and Mac. It’s hard to believe you can download it for free on a donation basis, considering how having multiple computers at the control of one keyboard and mouse can tremendously add to one’s productivity.
Synergy’s website can be found here.
Technically speaking, Synergy more than doubles your pleasure. It also allows you to double your productivity as well. It all depends on how well you “werk” it.