Is there a freeware VNC app for Windows?

[Carl]

While I am pretty comfortable on my Mac, but have a lot to learn on
Windows, I have a pal who is new to computing and to Windows, bit of
an old timer, like me, and I'd like to help her out.

I used to use two freeware VNC programs to help out pals when using my
Mac:

Share My Desktop (server program) and
Chicken of the VNC (client program).

Is there any free software like this that I can SECURELY use to
control her machine over the internet and show her how to do simple
things like to set up an RSS reader?

Many thanks,
Carl

 

[Shenan Stanley]

While I am pretty comfortable on my Mac, but have a lot to learn on
Windows, I have a pal who is new to computing and to Windows, bit of
an old timer, like me, and I'd like to help her out.

I used to use two freeware VNC programs to help out pals when using
my Mac:

Share My Desktop (server program) and
Chicken of the VNC (client program).

Is there any free software like this that I can SECURELY use to
control her machine over the internet and show her how to do simple
things like to set up an RSS reader?

UltraVNC
TeamViewer may be the easiest solution, however.

 

[Touch Base]

While I am pretty comfortable on my Mac, but have a lot to learn on
Windows, I have a pal who is new to computing and to Windows, bit of
an old timer, like me, and I'd like to help her out.

I used to use two freeware VNC programs to help out pals when using my
Mac:

Share My Desktop (server program) and
Chicken of the VNC (client program).

Is there any free software like this that I can SECURELY use to
control her machine over the internet and show her how to do simple
things like to set up an RSS reader?

Many thanks,
Carl

=============================
another way

Teamviewer
TeamViewer is completely free for non-commercial, personal use
http://www.teamviewer.com/index.aspx


--
Regards,
Touch Base
Report back on the results, good or bad so others may benefit

"There's an old story about the person who wished his computer were as easy
to use as his telephone. That wish has come true, since I no longer know
how to use my telephone."
(Bjarne Stroustrup)

 

[Gerry]

Interesting Shenan.

UltraVNC does not mention Vista. TeamViewer does.


--



Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Carl]

UltraVNC does not mention Vista. TeamViewer does.Thanks to all for your suggestions. I neglected to mention that she
is using Vista and I am using Windows XP Home.

I'll look into Team Viewer and try to help her using that.

Carl

 

[Shenan Stanley]

While I am pretty comfortable on my Mac, but have a lot to learn on
Windows, I have a pal who is new to computing and to Windows, bit of
an old timer, like me, and I'd like to help her out.

I used to use two freeware VNC programs to help out pals when using
my Mac:

Share My Desktop (server program) and
Chicken of the VNC (client program).

Is there any free software like this that I can SECURELY use to
control her machine over the internet and show her how to do simple
things like to set up an RSS reader?

UltraVNC
TeamViewer may be the easiest solution, however.

Interesting Shenan.

UltraVNC does not mention Vista. TeamViewer does.

Unsure where you are looking when you talk about UltraVNC (or Vista in this
conversation for that matter) - but... UltraVNC does work with Vista
(despite them not necessarily pointing it out in all the 'right places'...)

Examples:
http://www.uvnc.com/general/whatsnew.html
"... v1.0.5.2 Release
....
*logoff user no check the session number, restart is only done when session
!= 0 ( Vista or XP with fast user switching) ..."

"... Update 16 june 2008
....
- vista, uvnc_service already installed as service (winvnc) ..."

Froum:
http://forum.ultravnc.info/viewtopic.php?t=11103&highlight=Vista

Essentially - from what I can tell - development and such is more critical
than updating the web page content to include "Vista" there for the most
part - so you find more mention of Vista in the forums and randomly
throughout the page than you do Windows XP. It does work fine, albeit with
a few adjustments when the connection is made (like killing off some of
Vista's more aggressive visual enhancments so the connection is not pushing
a ridiculous amount of data.)

However - going over this conversation - my guess would be you meant "There
was no mention of macintosh on UltraVNCs page, yet there was on TeamViewer."
<- yes - you are correct. The op was asking about the connectivity between
their macintosh and a windows machine. My bad.

UltraVNC has forum posts about it:
http://forum.ultravnc.info/viewtopic.php?p=28105

TeamViewer - on the other hand - works great with Macintosh machines in my
experience. I would still say that is the best solution for the OPs needs
(easiest at least.)

 

[Gerry]

Shenan

This link clearly mentions Vista
http://www.uvnc.com/download/index.html

This is the link which made me doubt whether it worked with Vista:
http://www.uvnc.com/

--



Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Carl]

TeamViewer - on the other hand - works great with Macintosh machines in my
experience.  I would still say that is the best solution for the OPs needs
(easiest at least.)

I am so sorry. What a jerk!

I neglected to state at the outset that I am running Windows XP Home
SP3 on my Mac using VMWare Fusion 2.0.1. I was/am looking for a
Windows-to-Windows application; it does not have to be a cross-
platform app.

Does this change any of the proffered suggestions?

My bad, :-(
Carl

 

[Shenan Stanley]

While I am pretty comfortable on my Mac, but have a lot to learn on
Windows, I have a pal who is new to computing and to Windows, bit of
an old timer, like me, and I'd like to help her out.

I used to use two freeware VNC programs to help out pals when using
my Mac:

Share My Desktop (server program) and
Chicken of the VNC (client program).

Is there any free software like this that I can SECURELY use to
control her machine over the internet and show her how to do simple
things like to set up an RSS reader?

UltraVNC
TeamViewer may be the easiest solution, however.

Interesting Shenan.

UltraVNC does not mention Vista. TeamViewer does.

Unsure where you are looking when you talk about UltraVNC (or Vista
in this conversation for that matter) - but... UltraVNC does work
with Vista (despite them not necessarily pointing it out in all the
'right places'...)

Examples:
http://www.uvnc.com/general/whatsnew.html
"... v1.0.5.2 Release
...
*logoff user no check the session number, restart is only done when
session != 0 ( Vista or XP with fast user switching) ..."

"... Update 16 june 2008
...
- vista, uvnc_service already installed as service (winvnc) ..."

Froum:
http://forum.ultravnc.info/viewtopic.php?t=11103&highlight=Vista

Essentially - from what I can tell - development and such is more
critical than updating the web page content to include "Vista"
there for the most part - so you find more mention of Vista in the
forums and randomly throughout the page than you do Windows XP. It
does work fine, albeit with a few adjustments when the connection
is made (like killing off some of Vista's more aggressive visual
enhancments so the connection is not pushing a ridiculous amount of
data.)

However - going over this conversation - my guess would be you
meant "There was no mention of macintosh on UltraVNCs page, yet
there was on TeamViewer." <- yes - you are correct. The op was
asking about the connectivity between their macintosh and a windows
machine. My bad.

UltraVNC has forum posts about it:
http://forum.ultravnc.info/viewtopic.php?p=28105

TeamViewer - on the other hand - works great with Macintosh
machines in my experience. I would still say that is the best
solution for the OPs needs (easiest at least.)

I am so sorry. What a jerk!

I neglected to state at the outset that I am running Windows XP
Home SP3 on my Mac using VMWare Fusion 2.0.1. I was/am looking for
a Windows-to-Windows application; it does not have to be a cross-
platform app.

Does this change any of the proffered suggestions?

My bad, :-(

Unsure if you think I am a jerk or if you believe you were a jerk.
Neither - imo - is true, but I am biased on at least one of those.

The answer does not change.

For you - TeamViewer is probably the best (and free) suggestion. Have your
friend get the client side and run it - sending you the ID and password in
whatever convenient way they see fit when they do. You have the full
software package (free) installed on your system (PC or mac) and connect up
to your friend's machine using the ID/password.

Does not get easier - really... Works on mac/pc - either direction.

 

[Carl]

My bad, :-(

Unsure if you think I am a jerk or if you believe you were a jerk.
 Neither - imo - is true, but I am biased on at least one of those.

Please rest assured that I was indeed referring to /my/ being a
bonehead for forgetting to note that I was running Windows on my Mac
at the outset of my question.

Happy New Year to all,
Carl