Announcing Multiplicity

Control multiple computers from a single keyboard and mouse

Published on February 9, 2005 By Stardock Central In WinCustomize News

LIVONIA, Mich.----Feb. 9, 2005--Software developer Stardock Corporation announced a brand new product today, Multiplicity, a program that allows users to control multiple computers with a single keyboard and mouse. For users, it's much like using a multiple-monitor setup - when the user moves their mouse to a monitor connected to a different PC the user is then controlling that computer. It is not a remote control solution.

A typical configuration would be 2 or 3 computers, each with its own monitor connected to that computer. The primary computer would have the keyboard and mouse hooked up to it. The secondary computers receive input via a network connection about the mouse's location. When the mouse passes onto their screen, the user is in control of that PC.

"It's totally seamless," said Brad Wardell, Product Manager of Multiplicity. "I can be playing a full screen game on one screen and have an instant messaging conversation going on the other computer. I just move my mouse over to the other monitor to type a response and then move it back to continue controlling my character in the game I'm playing."

Multiplicity also provides a universal clipboard between machines. Users can copy images or text from one machine, move their mouse over to another monitor, and paste it. The Pro version of Multiplicity allows users to also copy and paste files and directories between machines.
Stardock plans to target engineering firms, testing centers, power users, gamers, and other markets that tend to have people that may have multiple computers.

"If you've ever sent yourself an email to move a file or piece of data in the same room then you need Multiplicity," said Wardell. "If you are currently in an office where there's keyboard and mice taking over your desk or table, you need Multiplicity."

Multiplicity will come in two forms, standard and professional. Multiplicity standard version will list for $39.95 and supports controlling two computers. Multiplicity Pro will list for $69.95 which supports controlling up to any number of computers as well as supports copying files and folders between machines.

Stardock expects to release Multiplicity by the end of February. Its home page is https://www.stardock.com/products/multiplicity

Versions:
Multiplicity Standard: $39.95
Multiplicity Pro: $69.95

Requires: Windows 2000 or Windows XP. At least two computers with at least 1 monitor on each computer.

Developer:
Stardock Corp. (www.stardock.com).
17292 Farmington Rd.
Livonia MI 48152

About Stardock:
Stardock is a Midwestern Windows software development company. It is best known for creating software that extends and enhances to functionality of Microsoft Windows. Its principle product is a suite of desktop enhancements called Object Desktop (www.objectdesktop.com) which includes its popular utilities WindowBlinds, DesktopX, ObjectBar, IconPackager, SkinStudio, RightClick, Keyboard LaunchPad, and much more.

It also runs the world's most popular desktop customization website called WinCustomize.com (www.wincustomize.com) which receives over 3 million unique visitors each month.

Stardock has also developed popular PC strategy games such as the award winning Galactic Civilizations (www.galciv.com) and The Political Machine (www.politicalmachine.com). Its game software is available at retail as well as through its innovative electronic distribution network TotalGaming.net (www.totalgaming.net).

Comments (Page 2)

NightTrainthedark

on Feb 09, 2005

Personally I have come to trust Stardock products. When I have a problem I talk with the developers directly. No BS. To me that's worth quite a bit. Support is what most most companies lack. I might just have to check it out.

ScottAdams

on Feb 09, 2005

Desktop Rover and Synergy do not work at all in Everquest 2. Once you are in game the mouse flies all over the place. SingleControl does work but is twice the price of Multiplicity.

So far I have not found one utility that works in EQlive (Everquest 1). EQlive does not want to let the mouse go and it still appears on the master machine and it then moves around in sync with the client mouse. Very distracting. I am hoping multiplicity is able to get this game working. If it doesnt't Multiplicity is still a better choice.

I see stardock also has an alternate site at Link I assume this is the same product

Scott Adams
Not Dilbert, Adventure!
www.msadams.com

Frogboy

on Feb 09, 2005

Comparing it to Synergy is like comparing Photoshop to the Gimp.

It has a lot to do with usability and features. On paper, a car and a 18-wheel semi are pretty darn similar. It's when you decide you want to drive to the store that the practical differences come into play.

Frogboy

on Feb 09, 2005

BTW, there will be a demo version of Multiplicity. So anyone who has any doubts on why you would use Multiplicity over something else will be able to see for themselves.

I thought of another example: There are "freeware"/open source alternatives to WindowBlinds too. I'm not talking uxtheme hacks I mean real genuine open source skinning programs. But in practice, people don't use them because they're flakey or hard to use, or lack features.

And one last example: ObjectDock Plus. There are LOTS of programs that, on paper, do the exact same thing as ObjectDock Plus. There are free things out there that do what ObjectDock Plus does. But any ObjectDock Plus user who has used it and those other programs can tell you the difference here.

Kobrano

on Feb 09, 2005

Essentially there are freeware versions of almost every product out there - even Microsoft Office!

Generally, with freeware, you get what you pay for, and I can sum that up as:

1) Underdeveloped products.
2) Less than stellar support.
3) Infrequent updates/stalled development.
4) Less than responsive developers.

Now I do have some first hand experiance with some of these things. For the last few weeks i've been emailing various freeware authors of some nice products to buy the rights/code out from them. Few, if any, have valid email addresses, much less bother to answer email about their products.

They are free for a reason.

mormegil

on Feb 09, 2005

I work for stardock, so I am bias, but I ran senergy for quite a while, and it would constantly just stop working. I have been running Mutipicity now for a few months and it has worked so well that I just forget its there. It just works. I cant live without it anymore.

Rednose

on Feb 09, 2005

I have been using a program at http://www.radmin.com/, for over a year now. $35 I use it to control 2 of my computers on my home wireless network. I really don't know if this is even in the same boat with the above mentioned program? I can control the screens on my main screen and transfer files etc.

CygnusXII

on Feb 09, 2005

Kobrano you are just spreading FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt.) For shame on you.
I am sitting here typing this from yet another wonderfull LinuX LiveCD Unbubtu, and if it wasn't for OSS Development that wouldn't be possible. There is an over abundance of support out there for many given projects, and usually is only an IRC Chat away. People are getting very lazy when it comes to Software trouble shooting, and they are coming to think that a problem should be solvable in a single phone call or email.Do not mistake StarDocks Support of its' products to be the norm, anywhere. Your over generalization is a disservice to the OSS Movement. Do not let your experiences predjuidice your entire outlook, because of a few problems you encounter. Remember this and take it with a grain of salt... A lot of OSS software is developed by Students, entering the IT Field, or hobbyist (sp?) Students move, leave schools or change Host Accounts frequently, add and drop accounts or loose their hosting for Services. They might not be reachable. Also remember the dev factor of something is at the leisure of the Authors/ Developer. It is the samme with skinners, and their artwork. Just ask the folks that want to port the Turtle II LS Theme (or something similar.)

CygnusXII

on Feb 09, 2005

How is this different from WindowsXP Remote Desktop or Full Blown Terminal Services?
I mean I use PCAnywhere, and Remote Desktop on a Daily basis. Give me a comparison if you would.
Is it possible to get some sort of comparison chart as a refference? Kinda like a shoot out.

NightTrainthedark

on Feb 09, 2005

I believe you can try it out if you follow the link in post # 17.

Neil Banfield

on Feb 09, 2005

This is totally different to Remote Desktop, PCAnywhere etc.

This app allows you to have 2 or more computers (and screens) in your office, but only 1 keyboard & mouse. So you could have a work PC and a irc machine for example. Want to control the irc machine, just move the mouse off the side of the work machines screen & you are controlling it. Or you could use a hotkey to switch.

Your desk becomes less cluttered and personally I have found it increases my productivity by quite a lot.

CygnusXII

on Feb 09, 2005

I dunno Night Train I didn't see where that was possible.

Nakor

on Feb 09, 2005

Remote desktop, radmin, VNC, and the like are great solutions for bringing the remote desktops to your main PC.

Multiplicity needs another monitor hooked up to secondary PC (up to 6 of them). There's no getting around that for the moment (by design). If you don't have 2 PC's and 2 monitors, it's of no use to you.

Let me give some examples. Until you've used it, imho, you don't even realize that you've been missing something without it. Which is what the trial version will be for!

- Have you upgraded your main PC at home but the other one isn't quite ready to collect dust in the corner of your office? Have you ever emailed yourself a file or burned a CD to get it 6 feet across the desk to another machine?

- Do you have a laptop or a tablet? Are you on the road and when you come back to the office, you want to control everything from one place?

- Would you like to play games on one PC will still being able to surf the web and IM on the other? Or play multiple accounts in a MMO game at once (yes, people do this, I was surprised too!).

- Do you develop software for a living or hobby and need to test it elsewhere? Are you an artist and want to be able to work on something else while a render or filter happen?

- Do you have to test software on multiple configurations? Some people do have a half-dozen mice and keyboards on their desk.

- Do you need more "desktop" to monitor something that can go on a secondary machine while you continue to work uninterrupted in your main one?

Kris [who works for Stardock and can't do without Multiplicity]

cakeypower

on Feb 09, 2005

Frogboy

Comparing it to Synergy is like comparing Photoshop to the Gimp.

It has a lot to do with usability and features. On paper, a car and a 18-wheel semi are pretty darn similar. It's when you decide you want to drive to the store that the practical differences come into play.

Will Multiplicity ever support anything other than win2000 and xp? (Non-window's)

Nakor

on Feb 09, 2005

Using OS X as a secondary (machine without the keyboard and mouse) is in the near-term plan. Whether that makes the 1.0 release or comes after, we'll see.

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