Share mouse keyboard between Mac and Windows without KVM

Here's a problem that really got me flustered for some time. I was using a Mac OSX Ventura (13.x) from work and also a personal Windows 11 but I wanted to use them at the same time - when I'm taking a break from work - for example. However I wasn't aware of how to get my input streamed to both of them and switch between then whenever I like. After a lot of research I was able to find something that worked and that was free and open source!

I could have bought a KVM switch, but why spend money when technology and FOSS can solve my problem.

share keyboard mouse across 2 or more laptops

 In my last work place - ClearedIn, I had a strange problem of having too many laptops. Initially I started off working on a beautiful Acer Laptop (Aspire 5) with Windows 10 installed but then soon realized the laptop is of no use when doing a lot of computation tasks, i.e., joining a video call on teams when chatting on slack and simultaneously working on code. So I got another laptop - hp Pavilion this time, which was way better than the Acer one. However now I had a problem, I had 2 laptops and I wanted to use both at the same time.

I was using 2 keyboards and 2 mice. It was a pretty messy situation, but I did feel very important! Now when I had to take a break on my personal laptop, which is by the way a Lenovo Thinkpad p52 running Windows, I had another set of keyboard and mouse. Now don't forget the monitors too. I was in a mess.

Screenshot editor cum manager in windows 10

The default screenshot tool in Windows 10 is a lot better than the older ones for sure, but it doesn't really provide the kind of usability that other 3rd party screen shot editors provide.

Today, I'm sharing my favorite tool for screenshot management in Windows 10 and it's free to use and easy to use: GreenShot

Here's some of the reasons why I love this tool so much.

Microsoft Windows Linux

Linux on Windows

It's 2021 and we've seen the world-wide COVID-19 pandemic.. and now I discovered Windows Sub-system for Linux, yes, Windows support for Linux. Guess it took a global pandemic for Microsoft to get Linux run on Windows!

Well, it's not really Linux, and for purists, this is more of an emulation, kind of like docker, but for Windows. However it feels fast and almost native. Good enough to support most user-mode programming languages out there. The support started from Windows 10 version 20262, so to get started, install Windows 10 and keep upgrading until this version is reached.

Clipboard Manager for Windows - Ditto

After my post on Clipboard Management here, which was basically clipboard managers on Linux and Unix-ly operating systems, here's one on Windows.

This cheeky sounding software is named Ditto and is a blessing for all Windows Users.

 Here's a screenshot:

So what this does, is keep track of your last copied items! Works with images as well.

Download ditto from here or from the Ditto Project page: https://ditto-cp.sourceforge.io/

Enjoy!

ConEmu - A better windows command prompt

So this is a little article and a software review for one of my indispensable Windows Utilities, that is still relevant in the Windows 10 world - ConEmu. The terminal emulator, which is a large improvement over the Windows CMD, is a must have utility for anyone working on (or stuck on) any of the Microsoft Windows based operating systems. Whats even better, is that, this is Open Source.

So if you are looking for an alternate command prompt, take a look here:

 

Cool features include, multiple tabs, configurable history and of course the animation when it opens or closes!

For more screenshots go here. 

To download a binary go to the website: https://conemu.github.io/en/Downloads.html

Encoding Webcam data in Java

Java is the blue eyed boy of modern society. From Open Source lovers to Oracle, they all love Java. So, apparently, something like capturing data from a webcam and creating a video out if it should be a walk in the walk in the park, right?


Well, in this case, the walk appears to be rather full of potholes! Not only that, the road seems to veer off and disappear at times.


You see, there are various multimedia frameworks available in Java that allow you to capture webcam, but all of them have a JNI interface. This is where things so ugly. On Linux, such specific bits of code rely on Video for Linux (v4l or v4l2) abstractions. On Windows, DirectShow is the way to go.

Become a DJ!

There's a lot of things people do with their computers... among them Listening to music is one of my favorites! DJs are people who play with music, remix mixes and create new stuff that is oh-so-cool!

Perhaps some of you already use Virtual DJ, however it is marred with Copyright breach of OpenSource Libraries ^[1]. So here's something good that let's you flanger through your DJ-ing ambitions without making you consult your lawyer!

Triple Boot Mac OSX, Windows and Linux

So you want the best of the world installed in your computer? Impatiently found this blog from the depths of the internet... Well then get ready to install a Hackintosh OSX Leopard (Macintosh on an Intel Box), Windows XP and Linux Anything (pretty much any Linux Installer with GRUB will work, for e.g. Ubuntu).

The Windows Logon Password

It's no secret. And it can be hacked in a million ways.

However, let me begin by saying, that this obviously assumes we have unrestricted physical access to the target machine. This also does *not* mean that this is a great Windows flaw, no it's not! It's a method and there are other methods of hacking passwords of other Operating Systems, including ANY other OS, provided we have physical access.

Here I have presented 2 methods to access your system after you have conveniently forgotten your password. Which I hope you would not. ;)

Joke

Here's a fabulous reply by me on our college google group (Topic: few tips for Windows XP):

The real tips:

The first Windoz post

Just a few days ago a friend of mine was troubled with a kind of virus that corrupts the setting of Windows Explorer and hence no matter what the user tries to do, hidden folders are always hidden.

So I gave him the good old solution:

1st : Open up 'msconfig' and search for any odd start-up programs starting up. un-check these start-up programs. The names may include explorer.exe or similar confusing names (for the not-so-worried).

2nd: Simple save the following as 'fix.reg' (or anything.reg) and double click on the file to execute it.

REGEDIT4
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion­\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL]
"CheckedValue"="1"

Application Compatibility on Windows

Recently, I've been thinking about the failure of Windows Vista and wondering what the state of native DOS applications would be on the newer Windows machines. Many people use old applications that are part of their daily work... and they simply can't let go. Tell them to upgrade their Software? Well, then they need to "buy" that upgrade. Which people have a right not to!

Applications won't or simply runs errornously on Windows Vista. An example of this are various popular Chess Softwares : CT Art (that plays chess), Fritz 2, SP-98 (A tournament manager used by West Bengal Chess Association ) etc.

So what is their solution?

Dunno. But perhaps they'll switch to open source alternatives. Like DOS-Box for instance. Or even try running Linux with Wine. Since some of these stuff actually runs better on Wine!

M$ Windoz Vista - A piece of crap

Here's a not so very nice-looking video shot at a college friends' PG-room. He had lost his pirated Product Key and Vista would not log him on. He was required to enter a valid key. Vista was good.

But then I came,

and I showed him,

that Vista was pretty lame,

and that pleased him!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhEAKBFGrJE

NB: This is actually a pretty serious bug. I can start any program from Vista without any Product Key on my machine! Looks like Microsoft's recession source is something else.

I just turned anti-M$ basher!

From a person who would worship his computer with the Windows 98 OS installed, to the guy who felt Windows was the ultimate after a bitter experience with a pre-release version of Linux Ubuntu 4.1 Warty Wathog and then meandering to a person who was a proud member of the "I hate Microsoft" community onOrkut, I have changed yet again.

Only a few minutes ago I would curse Bill Gates for dominating the world with an pre-historic OS called Windows. An unusable OS called Windows Vista. Et Cetera.