Lion concurrent users

[CaoCao]

Apple has long had a feature in MobileMe called Back to my Mac, which allows you to remotely access all your internet-connected computers’ files. Additionally, you could ever screenshare with your own computers over the internet. This feature has been very handy for me as a MobileMe user but what about Mac users who aren’t. Back to my Mac seems like the kind of feature that should have been integrated for everyone in Mac OS X from the beginning. Well now with Lion, it appears that Apple, too, has had the realization.

In Snow Leopard, MobileMe users’ other Macs will appear in the Finder’s left panel with options to ‘connect as’ (access files) or screenshare. MobileMe members simply need to put it their other computer’s login information and Apple takes care of the rest. In 10.7 Lion a new option has appeared and that is to login to remote computers with your Apple ID. The option is specifically your Apple ID (which anyone can get for free) and not your MobileMe credentials.

To us this means that anyone with an Apple ID should be able to access their remote computers with Back to my Mac. Apple has already begun the process of implementing free MobileMe features, starting with Find my iPhone (by way of an Apple ID), and Back to my Mac going free makes complete sense. What if Apple creates a standalone application to allow users to remotely login to their computer from any other Mac?

Maybe, in the future, users will always login to their Macs with their Apple ID versus a stationary username and password. This would be just like the cloud-focused Google ChromeOS notebook. Apple even allows users attach their Apple ID credentials to their user account in system preferences.

We have also been told that Back to my Mac has received a few tweaks in its Lion implementation such as easier access to AirPort disks and servers. Perhaps this will all show up in the new, free, cloudier, MobileMe. (Thanks, anonymous)

Since it doesn't affect the person logged in it may be possible to use Mac minis as dumb clients with a specced out Mac Pro as the server.

 

[goMac]

Since it doesn't affect the person logged in it may be possible to use Mac minis as dumb clients with a specced out Mac Pro as the server.

Yes, but keep in mind the graphics performance is still going to be pretty poor. It's still VNC. I don't see any reason one would ever use this in a professional setting. Especially in since the Minis would be more than powerful enough for the stuff you'd use this for.

 

[CaoCao]

Yes, but keep in mind the graphics performance is still going to be pretty poor. It's still VNC. I don't see any reason one would ever use this in a professional setting. Especially in since the Minis would be more than powerful enough for the stuff you'd use this for.

The performance would be good enough on an intranet

 

[goMac]

The performance would be good enough on an intranet

Not for graphics stuff still. The latency is too high, and OpenGL doesn't translate well.

And if you're not doing OpenGL, the Mini is a perfectly capable machine.

 

[CaoCao]

Not for graphics stuff still. The latency is too high, and OpenGL doesn't translate well.

And if you're not doing OpenGL, the Mini is a perfectly capable machine.

I was thinking AutoCAD

 

[goMac]

I was thinking AutoCAD

Eh. I've never had applications 3D design applications work properly over local LAN VNC.

I think it's more useful for sys admins who want to share smilers applications between machines without multiple licenses. It's also nice for users who want to pop into their home computers and do quick things without interrupting a spouse.

I mean, give it a try with local network now. The performance is not great for a lot of intensive graphical apps.

 

[ActionableMango]

The performance would be good enough on an intranet

I've played Star Control II via VNC over a gigabit Ethernet. It ran fine.