Can I run Mac programs using my PC as a terminal?

[sajurcaju]

We have always had Windows machines. It is time to upgrade (ours came with ME), and we will be buying a Mac Pro as soon as the dust appears to have settled with upcoming announcements (no, I don't know what they are either). Microsoft has become *far* too intrusive.

This will be a home computer for two serious/hobby photographers and a teenager who spends lots of time in second life.

Will it be possible (with appropriate terminal software) to use the PC as a remote terminal for the Mac?
If so, can we run two Mac users simultaneously?
This would be straightforward in Unix, I'm not sure how it applies to OS X.

Thanks much,
Steve

 

[CanadaRAM]

No.

Although you can use a VNC or Timbuktu connection to operate the Mac from a PC screen (painfully slowly), there can only be one user logged in on a Mac at once.

Suggestion - get a Mac Mini as well, to use with the existing PC keyboard mouse (assuming they are USB) and monitor. You can network the two Macs easily to share files, while having to separate CPUs. Better solution for three people.

 

[Zorkon]

No.
Although you can use a VNC or Timbuktu connection to operate the Mac from a PC
screen (painfully slowly), there can only be one user logged in on a Mac at once.
.

Actually, that's not entirely accurate. You can have hundreds of users logged into a mac simultaneously - the catch is that these are all command-line or xterminal sessions, so you can't run regular Mac gui apps by these methods.

If you do want to use a GUI, then VNC is the way to go as suggested earlier. VNC will allow you to take control of the screen of whoever is logged in. You can find the vnc settings for you mac in System Preferences - sharing - remote desktop (the remote access option in there enables the command-line login features)

 

[sajurcaju]

Thank you, people, this makes sense.

I like the idea of adding a Mac mini. We'll see how the budget holds up.

Steve

 

[familyfuntime]

iRAPP

Have you heard of iRAPP? I just came across their product, which in "Workgroup" licensing allows multiple PC clients to separately login to unique Mac sessions. Looks like their $79 v1.1 price per client was lowered to $49/client in v.1.2.