[MULTISEAT/VIRTUAL] Free Windows/Linux multiseat solution?
Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:54 pm
Hey, anyone here know of a free/open source solution for multiseat on Windows (and possibly Linux as well)? I found this, but I'm sure this must have been done before using something that doesn't need to be paid for.
I thought it might be possible to run two Windows images on a KVM on top of Linux, and have them output video to two different graphics cards or over Displaylink, and take input from two different mice/keyboards... If not KVM, maybe some other type of virtualisation method running on two separate X servers*, which in turn are running on top of Linux. Xen Hypervisor, whatever, I dunno.
Am I typing nonsense here, or is it actually possible? You can probably tell that I don't know much about this (look how I mentioned Xen and KVM in the same breath), so I'm asking for further input.
The reason I'm thinking about doing this is for my parents. They both use Windows for their jobs (there's no persuading them to Linux, sorry guys and girls). Consolidating their overpowered, fat, dusty desktop machines into one machine would save space on their desk, it would save money, and it would probably save effort on my part to maintain their hardware. Noise is also a major concern of my Dad's.
If I can't do it for under USD49 of time and effort, I'll consider just buying the software, or two small form factor computers. But I think I'll have much more control over how the setup works by doing it through free/open source methods, and if it doesn't work, I lose no money.
The reason I'm asking on Linux Mint forums is because I expect a lot of X-related and virtualisation-related knowledge to reside on forums like these. These things aren't my strong point, exactly. Also, I'm a long time Mint user.
*I know Linux-only multiseat has been done before using this method. I hear there have been very large Ubuntu-based deployments of multiseat systems in Brazilian schools, and other such institutions.
I thought it might be possible to run two Windows images on a KVM on top of Linux, and have them output video to two different graphics cards or over Displaylink, and take input from two different mice/keyboards... If not KVM, maybe some other type of virtualisation method running on two separate X servers*, which in turn are running on top of Linux. Xen Hypervisor, whatever, I dunno.
Am I typing nonsense here, or is it actually possible? You can probably tell that I don't know much about this (look how I mentioned Xen and KVM in the same breath), so I'm asking for further input.
The reason I'm thinking about doing this is for my parents. They both use Windows for their jobs (there's no persuading them to Linux, sorry guys and girls). Consolidating their overpowered, fat, dusty desktop machines into one machine would save space on their desk, it would save money, and it would probably save effort on my part to maintain their hardware. Noise is also a major concern of my Dad's.
If I can't do it for under USD49 of time and effort, I'll consider just buying the software, or two small form factor computers. But I think I'll have much more control over how the setup works by doing it through free/open source methods, and if it doesn't work, I lose no money.
The reason I'm asking on Linux Mint forums is because I expect a lot of X-related and virtualisation-related knowledge to reside on forums like these. These things aren't my strong point, exactly. Also, I'm a long time Mint user.
*I know Linux-only multiseat has been done before using this method. I hear there have been very large Ubuntu-based deployments of multiseat systems in Brazilian schools, and other such institutions.