There is a program called synergy that will allow you to share multiple PCs with one mouse & keyboard. Its not perfect - it only allows you to share mouse, keyboard and clipboard (you can't drag & drop between screens)... I use Synergy at work between two older & slower PCs - two monitors each, one runs Outlook & my day to day and the other runs my spreadsheets & quotes. It works OK - better than the alternative of a PC that locks up.
synergy is an awesome product. I use it everyday and works pretty well once you figure out how to set it up. And the best part is that its free, so if you dont like it no big deal.
We use it on 20-30 machines so we contribute. They are working on something that will allow you to drag apps across multiple monitors, right now the biggest limitation is that you can't drag an app across to the other PC's monitors. Its coming soon though - but I haven't checked in with them in quite a while. Can't say enough good things about Synergy.
That is one of the reasons I like Stardocks Multiplicity. I haven't tried Synergy, but I'll check them out. Multiplicity Features Features Multiplicity has hundreds of different features for enabling users to customize the look and feel of Windows. For this guide, we'll stick to the primary features: ●Clip and Paste - Share your clipboard contents among your master and slave computers, including images! ●File and Directory Copying - Easily move files, or entire directories between computers! (Pro Version) ●Hotkey Support - Multiplicity supports fast switching to the connected computers via configurable hotkeys and mouse buttons! ●Fade/Darken Indicator - Multiplicity can fade or darken the non-focus computers, to further enhance navigation speed. ●Onscreen Display - Multiplicity can be configured to display an onscreen indicator of your current location. ●Locking - Support for locking your mouse to a specific desktop (configurable). ●Security - Full password protection, and domain control internally. ●Threshold Option - Full support for threshold control of mouse movement between machines. ●Alternative Control Methods - Multiplicity supports various control methods, such as Jog Dials, and Spatial Controllers! Fairly priced too.
Ha! Thank you for the compliment rodmike9. I tried very hard to compete for the "most messy trading setup" award! LOL.
Actually there is an advantage of keeping the big old sucker CRT monitors. Because they are so bulky, they jammed each other on the side. They kind of support each other so no one will fall off from the stand in the event of an earthquake. A few of the LCD mons are mounted on mono-mon arms.