Would Remote Desktop be a good choice?

[rockinrocker]

Hola-

I'm looking for a solution to manage my Mom's iMac. Screen sharing via iChat doesn't quite do it, mainly because I'd like to have access to it without having to bother her.

Would Remote Desktop be a good choice?

I'd also like to be able to:

-manage user accounts

-install apps/updates/etc.

Are there any other good options? I get the impression RD would be overkill for what I need, but am not aware of any other choices.

Thanks

 

[ReggaeFire]

I would just use either TeamViewer or Logmein. Both are free and you won't have issues with configuring routers, etc. that you would with ARD.

 

[GGJstudios]

I'm looking for a solution to manage my Mom's iMac. Screen sharing via iChat doesn't quite do it, mainly because I'd like to have access to it without having to bother her.

I use TeamViewer, which works with Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Ubuntu, iPhone, iPad, etc. It's very secure and quite simple to set up and use (no messing around with ports), which comes in handy if providing remote support to those who aren't very computer literate. You can talk them through the setup on their end and be connected to them in less than a minute. It's free for personal use. You can also set it up to automatically launch at startup, so it's always ready for a connection.

 

[rockinrocker]

Cool, thanks guys. I'll check those out.

 

[flynz4]

I am a logmein user, and I have never tried TeamViewer. I generally value GGJs opinions a lot and if I was starting fresh, I would probably have gone with his recommendation.

Regarding LogMeIn, I have had zero issues. I have 3 friends who rely on me as tech support... along with my two daughters away as students. I remotely manage systems for all 5 of them using LogMeIn.

Both recommended products are probably good.

/Jim

 

[GGJstudios]

I am a logmein user, and I have never tried TeamViewer.

They're both fine, but I prefer TV over LogMeIn because it includes free file transfers between computers, a feature I use frequently.

 

[flynz4]

They're both fine, but I prefer TV over LogMeIn because it includes free file transfers between computers, a feature I use frequently.

For those who are already down the LogMeIn path... Dropbox is a great companion program.

/Jim

 

[GGJstudios]

For those who are already down the LogMeIn path... Dropbox is a great companion program.

/Jim

I agree, and Dropbox is a good thing to have, anyway. There are many times someone needs help and connecting with TeamViewer to transfer a file is quicker than setting up LogMeIn, then also setting up a Dropbox account and sharing it. Ultimately, it comes down to what you're used to and what you prefer, as either method works fine.

 

[BadaBing!!]

Another vote for cross-platforms TeamViewer. Awesome.