[Uisce]

Hi, I'm looking to get a new mini to replace two older computers. My idea is to have one computer between two desks in a room with their own monitors, keyboards, etc.

Does anybody know if I can set up the mini so each user can log into and work off the same computer, and if so, what equipment I'd need and how I'd need to configure the Mac? If its not possible with a mini, is it possible with a PowerMac?

Thanks,

[Dog Like Nature]

Do you need the two users to be working at the same time?

[chris v]

I'm not sure that's possible. You can log in to multiple accounts remotely from other computers, but I don't think you could attach multiple displays to a machine & have one account active on one display, and another account active on the 2nd display. At least, I've never heard of such a thing being done.

[TETENAL]

You can not have two users with two keyboards and monitors work on the same computer at the same time. Even if there were some way to do this (which there isn't in Mac OS X), the Mac mini can only drive one screen.

You need two minis. You can network them together so that both users have access to the same data.

[Uisce]

yes, I mean two users at the same time. I was skeptical about the mini, but is such a thing possible on a PowerMac, or is there really no way to share a computer simultaneously between users?

Thanks for the answers though.

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by Uisce

yes, I mean two users at the same time. I was skeptical about the mini, but is such a thing possible on a PowerMac, or is there really no way to share a computer simultaneously between users?

You can remotely log into your computer from another computer (though command line only).

What you can not do is connect two keyboards and screens to a Mac and simultaneously log into two user accounts. That is not possible with any Mac (or Windows machine). You need to get each of those users their own mini.

[OreoCookie]

… if the answer to that question is yes, you really need two computers.
Otherwise a KVM switch allows you to plug in both keyboards, mice and monitors and then connect this to your Mac mini. Be warned, these are not cheap. In Germany, the prices (for a DVI/USB switch) start at roughly 200 € plus cables.

[OreoCookie]

Originally Posted by Uisce

yes, I mean two users at the same time. I was skeptical about the mini, but is such a thing possible on a PowerMac, or is there really no way to share a computer simultaneously between users?

Thanks for the answers though.

Neither a standard pc nor a Mac can do that.

In big businesses, you can have a thin client and the application is running on a big server, but let's just say that this is probably not an option here

[tooki]

Just get two minis. Two minis cost less than one Power Mac, anyway...

tooki

[Uisce]

Okay, my dreams are smashed... just kidding. I'll just get mini and keepmy existing Mac. Thanks for the clarifications.

[angelmb]

Oh yes, you can… with a SGI actually and this is a feature I WOULD LOVE to have available under Mac OS X.

PowerDuo Option

The PowerDuo option unleashes the power and versatility of the Octane2 workstation. PowerDuo supports two simultaneous users on a dual-processor Octane2 workstation, significantly lowering your hardware and administrative costs per seat. This capability is unique in the industry. The PowerDuo has the flexibility to adapt to your company's workflow. For example, in manufacturing, two CAD designers can share the system for most tasks, then it can be assigned as the ideal large assembly review station for a single user, providing access to dual CPUs and twice the memory and disk capacity of a standard CAD seat. In the energy industry, PowerDuo can drive two high-performance graphic subsystems with 104MB texture memory for data visualization and interpretation that can be economically shared by two users. Providing both power and cost-effective use of system resources, it's an ideal configuration for training rooms. This capability is also valuable for customers in the sciences, educational research, and geospatial imaging.

Features:
The PowerDuo configuration includes:

* Two VPro V10 graphics boards with 32MB graphics memory (V12 graphics upgrade option is also available)
* Two 21" monitors
* High-resolution support with up to 1920x1200 at 60 Hz or 72 Hz on each screen; each display is stereo-capable
* Two 400 MHz MIPS® R14000ATM processors
* PowerDuo package with two mice, keyboards, and cables

[msuper69]

Originally Posted by angelmb

Oh yes, you can… with a SGI actually and this is a feature I WOULD LOVE to have available under Mac OS X.

PowerDuo Option

The PowerDuo option unleashes the power and versatility of the Octane2 workstation. PowerDuo supports two simultaneous users on a dual-processor Octane2 workstation, significantly lowering your hardware and administrative costs per seat. This capability is unique in the industry. The PowerDuo has the flexibility to adapt to your company's workflow. For example, in manufacturing, two CAD designers can share the system for most tasks, then it can be assigned as the ideal large assembly review station for a single user, providing access to dual CPUs and twice the memory and disk capacity of a standard CAD seat. In the energy industry, PowerDuo can drive two high-performance graphic subsystems with 104MB texture memory for data visualization and interpretation that can be economically shared by two users. Providing both power and cost-effective use of system resources, it's an ideal configuration for training rooms. This capability is also valuable for customers in the sciences, educational research, and geospatial imaging.

Features:
The PowerDuo configuration includes:

* Two VPro V10 graphics boards with 32MB graphics memory (V12 graphics upgrade option is also available)
* Two 21" monitors
* High-resolution support with up to 1920x1200 at 60 Hz or 72 Hz on each screen; each display is stereo-capable
* Two 400 MHz MIPS® R14000ATM processors
* PowerDuo package with two mice, keyboards, and cables

You forgot to mention the price:

A new Octane2 workstation configured with V12 graphics, the Dual Head
option, 512MB system memory and two monitors is priced at $43,295 (U.S. list).

[MaxPower]

Not really what you need, but you can also access a full desktop account simultaneously via VNC, thanks to fast user switching.

http://www.redstonesoftware.com/multidesktop.html

[angelmb]

Originally Posted by msuper69

You forgot to mention the price:

A new Octane2 workstation configured with V12 graphics, the Dual Head
option, 512MB system memory and two monitors is priced at $43,295 (U.S. list).

It is no longer available "as new", with some luck just remarketed (for a config like that), anyway… it shows that what the original poster asked for can be done

Oh, and 'Dual Head' is a different thing, it is just an Octane2 (or a later model like the Tezro) with two VPro graphics boards and two displays, something you can do with a Power Mac.

[OreoCookie]

Originally Posted by angelmb

Oh, and 'Dual Head' is a different thing, it is just an Octane2 (or a later model like the Tezro) with two VPro graphics boards and two displays, something you can do with a Power Mac.

Well, but it said, it supports two concurrent users.

We have lots of Sun Rays at university connected to a huge Sun server. Works pretty well, but it is definitely not in that price category either

[angelmb]

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

Well, but it said, it supports two concurrent users.

We have lots of Sun Rays at university connected to a huge Sun server. Works pretty well, but it is definitely not in that price category either

Hence I firstly wrote about the PowerDuo configuration wich is a SGI only feature, DualHead and DualChannel alike features are common in the Mac / PC world.

If only Apple had bought SGI some years ago when it was really worth… now all the 3D world could be running under Mac OS X… go figure !! no more integrated graphic chip !!

[Taipan]

Hi!

Doesn't VNC allow to use a separate session on the machine you connect to that runs independently from the user that's logged in locally on the machine itself?

[P]

Originally Posted by Taipan

Hi!

Doesn't VNC allow to use a separate session on the machine you connect to that runs independently from the user that's logged in locally on the machine itself?

Yes. But that still means that there must be two computers - one that only runs the client - which wasn't really what the OP was asking for.

If you really want to stretch things, I could see a way to set that up though. OS X still retains the ability to have terminals connected on its serial ports. If you get a USB-serial converter and find and an old terminal (VT100 or so), you could connect it and log in to the command-line that way. TECHNICALLY that would mean two users on one computer. Not very practicall, though.

[mduell]

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

Neither a standard pc nor a Mac can do that.

It can be done on Linux on standard PC hardware.

[foo2]

Originally Posted by mduell

It can be done on Linux on standard PC hardware.

...and on a Windows PC too...the motherboard to do it might run $150, or one can purchase hardware gizmos (a PCI card, IIRC) to permit it. With PCs being so cheap nowadays there's not nearly the push for it there once was.

[foo2]

Originally Posted by foo2

...and on a Windows PC too...the motherboard to do it might run $150, or one can purchase hardware gizmos (a PCI card, IIRC) to permit it. With PCs being so cheap nowadays there's not nearly the push for it there once was.

http://www.anandtech.com/systems/showdoc.html?i=2025

shows one system - MiniPC form factor, two users, discrete upgradable graphics, supports 2 users up to 25 feet away (or more with extra hardware).