Crossloop makes remote desktop sharing EASY

Summary of what's below: Gone are the days of phone tech support. Now, using Crossloop I can access and control my dad's computer in Rhode Island (just as if I was sitting there in front of it) from my computer 1500 miles away in Minnesota, fixing whatever computer problems he's having. And it's as easy as both of us downloading and installing a program.

For more details, read on...

So WOW! Finally!! I've been looking for a program like this ever since I moved to Minnesota... some program (preferably freeware) that would enable me take control of my dad's computer when he's got a computer problem, so I don't have to give him verbal instructions over the phone for a couple hours on a problem I could most likely fix in a matter of minutes.

Bonus #1 - Saves Time!
Bonus #2 - Saves both of our systolic and diastolic readings about 30 mm of mercury.
Bonus #3 - Probably saves my dad's monitor, keyboard, mouse, and anything else in the immediate area irreparable impact damage.
And a personal Bonus #4 - Allows me to geek out for a good half hour, saying to myself "Oh man I am actually controlling my dad's computer from 1500 miles away!!! And he's magically watching the mouse move around fixing his computer. Tee hee hee.. snort snort... (pushing taped glasses back up onto nose) "... well, more or less. But you get the drift.

Since the learning curve on configuring VNC (another remote access program) on a host system with a firewall, router, and Norton Security Suite is so high, that at first I thought it would never be done unless I was physically there to set it up on his computer. Since then, I have had moderate success gaining access to his desktop, by wading through the remote assistance option in windows messenger... that still being a bit on the almost unusable side.

But Crossloop is so easy. It truly is a zero configuration remote access program, meaning you just install the program (a few clicks) and you're basically done.

So just to test things out (so I wouldn't be wasting dad's time, making a day just worse and not better...etc) I had my buddy, who lives in PA, download and install crossloop. I already installed it and read up on how it worked, so we were good to do a test run, just to see if it lived up to the hype on the website.

1. We were on the phone, and we both started up crossloop (after downloading and installing, of course).
2. We both just clicked the big red X on the first window that asked for a login, because logging in (contrary to what you're led to think) is not necessary.
3. I clicked on the "access" tab, and he clicked on the "share" tab.
4. He read off the auto-generated access code on his screen and I typed it into my screen.
5. We both clicked "connect".
6. We clicked "unblock" on the windows firewall warning that came up.
7. In a matter of seconds, a live image of his desktop came up on my screen, and I was controlling his desktop, opening up documents, executing programs, and what-have-you.
8. In unison, we both said "SWEET!!" and nerdy celebrations commenced.

From the time it took to download crossloop to me controlling his desktop, it took less than 3 minutes. And not only is it that easy, but also the host (the computer being mysteriously and magically controlled) can cut off the user (the one doing the mysterious and magical controlling) at any time. So if you don't like what you see them doing, you can drop the hammer and kick them out of your computer. The host can also make it so the user can only VIEW their computer and not control it, which is another nice option... then you don't get 2 people having a tug of war with the mouse pointer.

Anyhow, enjoy.