Remote Desktop Connection

What: Allows remote viewing of a Windows desktop

By: Microsoft Corp.

Cost: Free

Download: www.microsoft.com/mac

Microsoft RDC is a useful utility that not everyone can use. If you have a Windows XP Professional Edition machine or one of several Microsoft server flavors, RDC allows you to connect to it from your Mac mini. Once you are connected, the Windows desktop from the remote computer appears, and you can operate the computer as if you were sitting at the Windows machine's keyboard.

The figure shows the desktop of my Windows Small Business Server as viewed from RDC on my Mac mini. I can also control my Windows XP Pro desktop the same way.

Why I like it: If you already have a Windows XP Pro machine or a Windows server (I have both), RDC makes it easy to access them remotely, even over the Internet. Most often, I use RDC when I need to make changes on the server but don't want to walk downstairs. I don't recommend running applications over RDC if you can avoid it.