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Need Two Operating Systems on Your Home/Office Desktop?
Dan Albrich
dalbrich@oregon.uoregon.edu
If you're among those who'd like to be able to use more than one operating system on your desktop, read on. Microcomputer Services has done some research on possible solutions, and the results are described below.
Suppose you use a Mac but also require access to a Windows PC. One frequently mentioned solution is to use an "emulator" to run Windows on your Macintosh.
Emulators may save you money and desktop space, but PCs have become so inexpensive that the savings are now almost negligible. You may also find that an emulator lacks a desired or required feature, or that it runs too slowly to be usable for your application.
Advanced users sometimes "dual-boot" multiple operating systems like Unix with Mac OS or Windows. But even advanced users often prefer two computers to a dualboot setup because of dualboot limitations (e.g., not being able to use the services of one while the other is in use, and having to take a relatively long time switching from one system to the other).
Another option to consider is an electronic switch that allows you to connect two or more computers to the same monitor, keyboard and mouse.
If you plan to run two or more computers, there can be a cost savings both in terms of equipment and power usage. In addition, this type of setup may strike a good compromise in terms of space required and expanded capability.
If you have a really nice monitor on one computer and a smaller, less capable, monitor on the other, an electronic switch would allow both computers to use the nicer monitor. (One caveat: this solution is great for one person but not so great for two people who might need to use both computers at the same time!)
Electronic switches come in many packages and price ranges. A campus department with several servers might want an electronic switch with eight or more ports, but an individual will probably be looking at smaller two- or four-device switches.
USB switches tend to be the best choice when you have operating systems that support them. USB-enabled operating systems include:
Note: Linux USB support is only present in the newer kernels and may not work "out of the box." Also, Windows 95, Windows NT, and some PC Unix systems cannot be used with a USB switch.
Advantages. Consider the advantages of using USB switches:
Some switches enable you to transparently share USB peripherals like scanners and printers, provided driver support exists on both computers Our Test Results Microcomputer Services staff tested the StarTech (http://www.startech.com) USB switch between Macs and PCs with good results. That switch costs about $80 and cable sets are about $12 each. We purchased the Apple Pro Keyboard ($60 at the UO Bookstore) and Microsoft Natural Keyboard (about $50 at the UO Bookstore).
Both keyboards work well on Windows and Macintosh, provided USB ports and correct OS version are present. We upgraded our older Pentium PCs and Macs with the Keyspan PCI to USB adapter at $40 each, and purchased logitech three-button USB mice for $30 each.
Total cost to upgrade to a USB switch, including the cost of new keyboard and mouse, was $190 for two systems. Adding additional systems is simply the cost of cables.
Older systems. If you have older operating systems like Windows 95/NT and MacOS older than 8.1, we don't recommend trying to mix those Macs and PCs. However, if you just want to share a keyboard and display across the same OS (all Mac, or all PC), you probably can. It may even be possible to mix in older systems, but this can become quite expensive, and in some cases compatibility will be limited.
While these solutions won't be for everyone, they can be really nice in some situations. For example, our use of this system for computer support allows us to quickly switch between PC and Macintosh when assisting users with problems on one type of system or another.
If you have further questions about any of the setups discussed in this article, feel free to call Microcomputer Services at 346-4412.