Microsoft Releases Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac 2.0.1

[MacRumors]

Microsoft today released Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac 2.0.1, an update to the company's software for connecting to Windows-based computers from a Mac running OS X.

Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac 2.0.1 lets you connect from your Macintosh computer to a Windows-based computer or to multiple Windows-based computers at the same time. After you have connected, you can work with applications and files on the Windows-based computer.

While Microsoft's support document for the release is not yet functional, a note in the installation package indicates that the update focuses on fixes for security vulnerabilities.

This update improves security. It includes fixes for vulnerabilities that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer's memory with malicious code.

The update weighs in at 7.8 MB and requires Mac OS X 10.4.9 or later.

Article Link: Microsoft Releases Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac 2.0.1

 

[Scooterman1]

You would think that Apple would be as Microsoft friendly as Microsoft is Apple friendly.

 

[ipoppy]

I don't see much point of this program. Better to use LogMeIn.com which is free and work absolutely great. Its cross platform too. The best thing about this program that its got Firefox plugin which enable you access to other computers via this browser. Nothing special about that really but if you use Portable Firefox from http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable
and install this plugin there then you also will be able to access all other computers from any available computer; it doesn't have to be yours.
I use that all the time.

 

[xIGmanIx]

good to see that microsoft is supporting another platform, obviously there are other solutions out there, but its good to see native support which can't be said for the other guy

 

[danny_w]

I don't see much point of this program. Better to use LogMeIn.com which is free and work absolutely great. Its cross platform too. The best thing about this program that its got Firefox plugin which enable you access to other computers via this browser. Nothing special about that really but if you use Portable Firefox from http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable
and install this plugin there then you also will be able to access all other computers from any available computer; it doesn't have to be yours.
I use that all the time.

The last time I tried LogMeIn it was horribly slow compared to RDC, and didn't seem to work nearly as well. If the Windows desktop truly is remote then LogMeIn may be OK, but for local connections RDC is far superior. I use it at work every day to connect to servers in the lab from my office.

 

[MikhailT]

I don't see much point of this program. Better to use LogMeIn.com which is free and work absolutely great. Its cross platform too. The best thing about this program that its got Firefox plugin which enable you access to other computers via this browser. Nothing special about that really but if you use Portable Firefox from http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable
and install this plugin there then you also will be able to access all other computers from any available computer; it doesn't have to be yours.
I use that all the time.

Just as I don't see any point of using Logmein if I could just enable RDC on my Windows Machine and just remotely log in. Why install separate tools?

 

[danny_w]

Just as I don't see any point of using Logmein if I could just enable RDC on my Windows Machine and just remotely log in. Why install separate tools?

And even more important why install extra tools that don't work nearly as well (see my post above)?

 

[BongoBanger]

And even more important why install extra tools that don't work nearly as well (see my post above)?

Judging by his signature I would say because RDC is a Microsoft product which is why he goes out of his way to use an inferior solution instead.

Sad really.

 

[aristobrat]

Better to use LogMeIn.com which is free and work absolutely great.

Not in a corporate environment (where you're managing hundreds of Windows servers) it's not.

 

[Doctor Q]

fixes for security vulnerabilities

Were the security problems risks to your Mac or to the PC you connected to?

 

[ipoppy]

Judging by his signature I would say because RDC is a Microsoft product which is why he goes out of his way to use an inferior solution instead.

Sad really.

Wow wow. Stop crucifying me please. Yes I don't like windows but I didn't say don't use it because its windows product. Did I say that? LogMeIn is not Apple product neither or I am wrong?
I have made that statement because I have really good experience with LogMeIn I don't know why someone got some speed issues etc. Plus I treat that program not for local connections (maybe RDC is better) and I am not using this very often. I recommend that for someone who like to pop in to remote location sometimes and do it even via iPhone. Yes, this program is much more flexible.
If you guys are pro good for you then; I will never win any argument here but stop telling me what experience I should have with above programs.
LogmeIn is the winner for me.
Thank you.

 

[batchtaster]

From Microsoft:

Bulletin ID: MS09-044
Bulletin Title: Vulnerabilities in Remote Desktop Connection Could Allow Remote Code Execution (970927)
Max Severity Rating: Critical

Vulnerability Impact: Remote Code Execution
Affected Software: Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac.

We got advance notification of this from Microsoft only a day or two ago. Good on 'em for getting onto this and getting an update out.

 

[batchtaster]

If you guys are pro good for you then; I will never win any argument here but stop telling me what experience I should have with above programs.

They're jumping on you not because you said you prefer LogMeIn.com, but because you said:

I don't see much point of this program. Better to use LogMeIn.com

Your opinion on the best app is your own opinion. But how can you tell people what app is "better to use" when you don't have any "experience [..] with above programs" or knowing the "point"? "Better" means you've lined them all up and selected one over the others. Without any "experience [..] with above programs", how on earth did you make that selection? That's why you're being dismissed.

 

[La Porta]

You would think that Apple would be as Microsoft friendly as Microsoft is Apple friendly.

Are you serious? How about the 10+ years of annoyance at Windows being unable to recognize my HFS-formatted floppies....and even mow HFS+ formatted CD/DVDs, etc?

 

[Doctor Q]

The installer made me quit Excel. What's RDC got to do with Excel?

 

[Eidorian]

I haven't been able to get Microsoft AutoUpdate to update RDC. It's in the default install location as well in /Applications.

It works just fine for Office 2008 though.

 

[danny_w]

The installer made me quit Excel. What's RDC got to do with Excel?

I don't know, but I installed Office today and it made me quit RDC (same thing but in reverse).

 

[calicardiff]

Use CoRD instead

I gave up on RDC with it's frequent crashes and memory hogging (it sometimes got to over 1 GB!) a while back after I found CoRD, which (especially now they've released a new version) does what RDC should have done from the beginning:

http://cord.sourceforge.net/

 

[aristobrat]

Oh cool that CoRD has a new version. I had the same problems with its older version that you had with RDP (which has always been rock solid for me).

 

[cellocello]

RDC is better on Mac than it is on Windows.

It lets you resize! Which is a pretty big deal.

 

[danny_w]

I gave up on RDC with it's frequent crashes and memory hogging (it sometimes got to over 1 GB!) a while back after I found CoRD, which (especially now they've released a new version) does what RDC should have done from the beginning:

http://cord.sourceforge.net/

I had never heard of that app and was interested, so I downloaded and installed it. Everything was fine until it borked one of my servers; now I ahve to go in the lab and try to figure out what happened. I think I will stick with RDC; nothing like this ever happened with that app. I do wish though that RDC had the single-window treatment like CoRD.

EDIT: To be fair, the server that was borked was running W2K, so that may be at least part of the issue (compatibility). However as I said RDC never had a problem with this server. After rebooting the server I am back up on CoRD, but the icons and such do not display properly; I don't think I'll trust it with this server, which means I have to stick with RDC for the time being.

 

[MartiNZ]

The installer made me quit Excel. What's RDC got to do with Excel?

And Word ... and even Messenger. I think they just thought, "quit anything microsoft, just in case."

I do prefer using RDC on the Mac vs on Windows. The Windows version doesn't apply Aero properly on Vista - just like Windows Live Messenger has its own version of the GUI in Vista and just looks awful in XP now. True, Messenger's GUI doesn't quite work in Snow Leopard, but at least it tries.

 

[Winni]

RDC is better on Mac than it is on Windows.

It lets you resize! Which is a pretty big deal.

My Windows 7 Remote Desktop Client also does that when I connect to my Windows 2008 Terminal Server. This might be news on the Mac, but it's old news on Windows.

 

[jabbawok]

Still no support for TS gateway. Flippin useless. Thanks again M$ for releasing an inferior version on MAC OS.

 

[pws442]

Briefcases not recognized

I installed this on my Macbook Pro the other day. I have a jump drive with briefcases on it, created from XP/SP3. When I insert the Jump Drive into the Mac, and after I mapped it to a drive letter in the RDC Windows explorer section, the briefcases show up as normal folders. Is there a way to overcome this obstacle?