LogMeIn has its own advantages, but for more possibilities (which other programs don’t have) you need to pay some money, while for private usage TeamViewer is free and the best one for easily solving some simple problems which most users of Remote Desktop may want to solve. The one within the Windows operating system is good, but a little complicated. Here again, I mention TeamViewer because of programs simplicity - all you need to do is download one little application (1,5MB) onto the computer you want to remote control and it’s running (it’s doesn’t require an installation), you’ll get your ID and password which you need to tell the other computer (which controls it) and at the same moment you connect to your computer you are connected. Of course, you can see how “someone” moves your mouse, looking for some pictures and similar. TeamViewer doesn’t require you to open some ports on the router, configuring some scripts or options you may have never heard of, everything is reduced to the most simple step. Compliments to the authors! In short, I’ll explain what you need to do so you could use Remote Desktop to connect to another computer with the TeamViewer program.

On the computer you want to remotely control, you need to download one little application TeamViewer Quick Support, size about 1,5MB – you can tell the user of the computer over MSN, e-mail or something similar. After he has downloaded the application (the user which is in front of that computer), he needs to double click on it to open it. He will get the next window:

All you need to know (he could use telephone, email or something) is the ID and password which have been shown to him when he ran the program. And here is the ending of his painful job.

The user who will have control over Remote Desktop needs to download the whole application – TeamViewer. Installation is simple and without any complications. After you run the program, you’ll see this.

Probably, it is already clear to you how simple everything is, all you need to do is fill in the ID which you have from the user of the other (remotely controled) computer.

Then you need to choose Remote Desktop as an option. Presentation can be chosen, if you want to show your presentation to others (so then they will be watching at your computer, but they can’t manage it, they can only watch), File Transfer can be chosen if you just need to transfer some files (therefore, File Transfer can work in combination with Remote Desktop, simultaneously) and VPN for virtual private networks – for advanced users.

You’ll get a window for the password, of course, you also have to get it from the user from the other (remotely controlled) computer. Type in the password and click Log On.

That’s it, you are connected and you are staring at another computers screen, miles away from you.

If it’s little slow for you, you can change options under View – Quality and you can choose Custom Settings and Edit custom settings… put colour on Grayscale - black and white scale (no colours) what will speed up the connection (there is less information which needs to be transferred because there are no colours), and you could perform normal work in the black & white variant.

You can record sessions (you can configure, so when you connect to somebody’s computer, it automatically starts recording a session – TeamViewer – Extras – Options – Advanced – Session Recording, where you can also choose the location of the recordings) with Extras – Record – Start/Stop (WARNING: sessions are recorded in .tvs format which you can watch only with TeamViewer program and they take up a little space (few MB for longer sessions). It’s possible to set up File Transfer – windows will pop-up and you’ll see on the left side of your computer, and on the right side remotely controlled computer with all the disks, partitions, files and folders. As you transfer files, the user in front of remotely controlled computer can see which of your folders are being accessed, what is being downloaded or uploaded and so on.

There are a lot more possibilites which I won’t mention nor describe them here (eg. chat with remotely controlled computer under Extras – Chat, Reboot computer and similar) – I’m leaving you some researching of this simple and minimalist program. I hope that Remote Desktop will save you time, money and nerves.