Can’t leave my computer alone…
Remote connection software has been around since the console age and was for many years used by “busy” professionals that couldn’t stop working while at home. But now that computers have become a large part of everyone’s reality, remotely connecting to another computer is convenient and adds to our potato-couch lifestyles.
Here’s an introduction on the technology…
I always like giving examples of my own life so here it is… I have a Q1 UMPC which I remotely connect to my multimedia PC in the living room so I can use it as a controller instead of another wireless device. Playing puzzle games on the big screen has never been more enjoyable 
But the real purpose of this post is to present some popular options you can choose from to instal remote connection software on your computer. Firstly, I should note that there may be such software already installed by your operating system. Most of the times though it is quite limited in features (no common clipboard etc.) and performance.
Let’s start with the open source solutions. Free is always appealing and there is some quality software in this field, that have proven their worth. My software of choice would be the always popular:
TightVNC
Website: http://www.tightvnc.com/
TightVNC is a free remote control software package derived from the popular VNC software. With TightVNC, you can see the desktop of a remote machine and control it with your local mouse and keyboard, just like you would do it sitting in the front of that computer.
Other cool software you can find for free:
EchoVNC
Website: http://sourceforge.net/projects/echovnc
EchoVNC is a secure, “firewall-friendly” remote-desktop tool with support for VNC, Remote Desktop, and RAdmin servers and viewers. With it, a Windows PC or OSX Mac can be remotely accessed regardless of firewall, router or web-proxy configuration.
Chicken of the VNC
Website: http://sourceforge.net/projects/cotvnc/
Chicken of the VNC is a VNC client for Mac OS X. A VNC client allows one to display and interact with a remote computer screen. In other words, you can use Chicken of the VNC to interact with a remote computer as though it’s right next to you.
If we are going to look into more commercial versions of the software, the most popular solution I guess is:
Remote Administrator
Website: http://www.radmin.com/
Radmin (Remote Administrator) is the world famous, award winning secure remote control software and remote access software which enables you to work on a remote computer in real time as if you were using its own keyboard and mouse.
RealVNC
Website: http://www.realvnc.com/
RealVNC provides remote control software which lets you see and interact with desktop applications across any network.
Just to connect to Windows computers from a Machintosh, Microsoft has provided the software with the less imaginative title….
Remote Desktop Connection Client
Website: http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.mspx
Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac 2 lets you connect from your Macintosh computer to a Windows-based computer or to multiple Windows-based computers at the same time. After you have connected, you can work with applications and files on the Windows-based computer.
And of course there’s the always simple…
CoRD
Website: http://cord.sourceforge.net/
CoRD is a Mac OS X remote desktop client for Microsoft Windows servers using the rdp protocol. It is easy to use, fast, and free for anyone to use or modify.
Read this chart which has for more programs for more platforms.
Whatever you choose be careful with your security, so you won’t be allowing unauthorized access to your computer. But apart from that the technology is mature enough to operate in a stable and responsive environment - you won’t even feel you’re on another computer 
