Barrier alternative

Jason · July 15, 2024, 10:09:07 PM

Old members might remember Synergy. It allowed you to use two PCs (and two screens) with the same keyboard and mouse. Think KVM but switching is done entirely in software. You move the mouse pointer from one display to another. Each display is attached to a system. But you only need one keyboard and mouse attached to the computer running Synergy as a "server".

Barrier is a fork of Synergy before it went commercial so I was hopeful I could do it that way. Alas, I can't get Barrier working. Switching works between Windows 11 and Zorin OS 17.1 except that the pointer becomes invisible on Zorin. Ugh.

Does anyone know of any cross-platform alternatives to Barrier? I know there's a new fork of Barrier since Barrier has been abandoned. However, it's in early development and they even suggest using Barrier for now. I'm trying to use a Windows 11 box with a Linux box (based on Ubuntu).

ssfc72 · July 16, 2024, 08:24:58 AM

Thanks for sharing, Jason. That is very interesting.

https://randomblog.hu/using-barrier-to-control-multiple-computers-regardless-of-operating-system/

Jason · July 19, 2024, 09:23:34 PM

It'd be great if it worked, Bill. I'm convinced now that the problem is Barrier's lack of support for Wayland. The Synergy people also said I needed to switch Wayland back to the X11 window system. They promise support for Wayland in a future version.

So, if I want to avoid dual-booting, I can:

1. Use Barrier by disabling Wayland and enabling X11.
2. Get another keyboard and mouse for the second system.
3. Use a KVM
4. Use a VM for Linux inside of Windows

Although method 4 may be easiest, it would mean running Linux as a guest under a Windows host. I can't do it the other way (i.e. Linux as host, Windows as a guest) because I play demanding games under Windows and I need fast 3D graphics support. But, running Linux under Windows makes me feel slutty. Sigh.

If you were faced with this conundrum, what would you guys do?

ssfc72 · July 20, 2024, 07:42:45 AM

I would suggest you get a faster computer and run Linux with a VM Windows, so that you can still play your computer games, :-)

Quote from: Jason on July 19, 2024, 09:23:34 PMSo, if I want to avoid dual-booting, I can:

1. Use Barrier by disabling Wayland and enabling X11.
2. Get another keyboard and mouse for the second system.
3. Use a KVM
4. Use a VM for Linux inside of Windows

Although method 4 may be easiest, it would mean running Linux as a guest under a Windows host. I can't do it the other way (i.e. Linux as host, Windows as a guest) because I play demanding games under Windows and I need fast 3D graphics support. But, running Linux under Windows makes me feel slutty. Sigh.

Jason · July 20, 2024, 09:10:07 PM

Quote from: ssfc72 on July 20, 2024, 07:42:45 AMI would suggest you get a faster computer and run Linux with a VM Windows, so that you can still play your computer games, :-)

The issue isn't the computer's performance. VMs don't let you use the specialty drivers necessary for a discrete 3D card. Even if they did, the performance would fall short of what you'd get with bare metal. VMs use generic drivers. Sure, the VM settings have an option for 3D but the emulation is for low-performance onboard RAM. The games I like won't run on that. A faster computer wouldn't change that because the Windows VM can't support the hardware. Even if it worked, I'd have to spend money to get the same or markedly less performance. Even if the VM could, it'd be a minimal performance for gaming.

You can play some modern games on Linux nowadays. But that list doesn't include the ones I want to play.

Jason · July 20, 2024, 09:36:41 PM

I bet Buster wonders why I don't just ditch Linux and only use Windows for everything. I have considered it and that's alarming.

fox · July 30, 2024, 07:20:52 AM

Get another keyboard and mouse; those are pretty cheap.

Jason · August 04, 2024, 12:32:22 AM

Quote from: fox on July 30, 2024, 07:20:52 AMGet another keyboard and mouse; those are pretty cheap.

I have a great mouse and keyboard. The mouse can only be bought separately and the keyboard is available only as a combo. So I end up with a useless mouse. It's annoying to me that the most inexpensive name-brand keyboards only come with a crappy mouse. I already have a crappy mouse I don't use. Doing it that way is cheap but still awkward, especially when you have ADHD! I'm lucky sometimes if I can remember to turn the mouse back on before using it!