two users one computer

[enm181]

I am planning to purchase a new iMac 21" for my daughter but I would like my son (who is only 4 and will only ever use a browser) to be able to use it too.

So I'm thinking I would buy an external monitor and extra mouse and wireless keypad for him.

Is this crazy or will this work? Basically I would just set up a browser on the 2nd monitor for him. What do you think? HAs anyone else tried this? Any recommends for the 2nd monitor?

 

[vitzr]

The Mac operating system makes it easy to share among several members of the family. Each with their own user account which is setup, including restrictions by the administrator (you). There's no need to spend all that extra money since only one person at a time can use it.

 

[enm181]

Thanks Vitzr,
Sorry i should have been clearer. They will want to go on the computer at the same time (no show without punch). My 4yo will want to be on it because his sis is online. So i thought instead of buying him his own computer i could just get a 2nd monitor.

 

[ditzy]

I'm not sure, but I don't think that this would work.

 

[Stewart21]

Thanks Vitzr,
Sorry i should have been clearer. They will want to go on the computer at the same time (no show without punch). My 4yo will want to be on it because his sis is online. So i thought instead of buying him his own computer i could just get a 2nd monitor.

It won't work, only one person can use the computer at the same time. You can't have two users logged on at once.

 

[alphaod]

It's not possible in the practical manner.

It won't work, only one person can use the computer at the same time. You can't have two users logged on at once.

You can have two user logged on concurrently, just not using it at the same time unless you're logged in remotely (which I guess would defeat the purpose since you'd need a second computer to log in remotely).

 

[enm181]

Thanks everyone - not exactly the answer i was looking for but anyway glad i asked!

 

[driftless]

If he is 4 why not get him a base iPad and load it up with educational apps instead? That way he really has his own and its less expensive than a ACD.

 

[spacedrabbit]

Thanks everyone - not exactly the answer i was looking for but anyway glad i asked!

From what I understood: you want both your daughter and son using the iMac at the exact same time, your daughter on the iMac display with her own KB and mouse and your son using the external monitor with just a browser up, and his own wireless KB+mouse.

The answer is still no. There is only 1 mouse cursor, so even if he had a bluetooth KB and mouse, and your daughter had a wired mouse, they would share that single cursor. The extra display is just more screen real estate.

 

[416049]

From what I understood: you want both your daughter and son using the iMac at the exact same time, your daughter on the iMac display with her own KB and mouse and your son using the external monitor with just a browser up, and his own wireless KB+mouse.

The answer is still no. There is only 1 mouse cursor, so even if he had a bluetooth KB and mouse, and your daughter had a wired mouse, they would share that single cursor. The extra display is just more screen real estate.

exactly they would just get in a fight on who will move the mouse and has the screen space.

 

[enm181]

Thanks Dornblaser he already has the iPad. The prob is that the one website he's interested in is flash based. Plus there's the. Having what his sister has iykwim!
Thanks all

 

[Namjins]

Thin Client Terminal

I don't know much about the subject but I've been looking into it myself. From what I've read so far, OS X Lion allows you to do what you're asking and you can use a client terminal.

Not sure on costs yet as it may be cheaper to just buy a cheap computer.

http://www.aquaconnect.net/