two mice with two pointer on one computer?

[john doe 182]

I am running Windows Vista with a dual monitor setup. With today's computing power and daul core processing, I figure that it should be possible to install 2 mice on a computer so that two people can work on the computer at once. It would be great so that 2 people who need to use the internet can get their surfing done at the same time. Does anyone know if this is possible?

 

[Version_3]

Its hard to say how it would work. I know laptops do basically what you're looking for. My work laptop has the j-mouse, the touchpad, and an ext optical mouse. All three work, but only with 1 pointer.

I think a single OS would allow only 1 cursor, unless there's a program that changes that. Otherwise, I'm not sure if you can do anything via a virtual box such as VMWare with specific mouse mappings.

Hopefully someone here may be able to better help you.

 

[-=Antimatter=-]

I use two mice (one as a remote more than a mouse) but only one pointer, sorry I don't know of a solution for that.

 

[SmokeRngs]

As far as I know, there is no way to use more than one mouse at a time without problems. An OS is designed from the standpoint that one user will be using it at a time and you will only get one mouse cursor. It's the same with keyboards. Unless there is specific instructions written for the OS to recognize a mouse and keyboard for one monitor and a mouse and keyboard for the other monitor, it will not work.

The OS would just get confused about which device should be working on which screen. You can have two hooked up but it will only control the one pointer. It's the same with keyboards. You can have two hooked up, but both of them will only be usable at the same place at the same time.

 

[SarverSystems]

Dual cores, dual monitors, dual mice, hmmmm. Makes ya wonder if it CAN be done?

 

[450]

It can be done. Microsoft had something like this about 10 years ago I believe for use with children. Lemme check up on that.

EDIT: I think the Microsoft Easyball does what you want with the dual-input driver thing it has.

EDIT2: Here's something that works...http://research.microsoft.com/users/udaip/multipoint.htm

 

[450]

delete...

 

[lamboman]

You could have a system where you have various stations that are not doing anything, and that are controlled by a main system, much like a school network would run.

 

[cewillm]

3char