VNC

VNC (Virtual Network Computing) is a graphical desktop-sharing system that uses the Remote Frame Buffer protocol (RFB) to remotely control another computer. It transmits the keyboard and mouse input from one computer to another, relaying the graphical-screen updates, over a network.^[1] Popular uses for this technology include remote technical support and accessing files on one's work computer from one's home computer, or vice versa.

VNC is platform-independent, with clients and servers for many GUI-based operating systems and for Java. Multiple clients may connect to a VNC server at the same time. There are a number of variants of VNC^[2] which offer their own particular functionality; e.g., some optimised for Microsoft Windows, or offering file transfer (not part of VNC proper), etc. Many are compatible (without their added features) with VNC proper in the sense that a viewer of one flavour can connect with a server of another; others are based on VNC code but not compatible with standard VNC.

VNC was originally developed at the Olivetti & Oracle Research Lab in Cambridge, United Kingdom, whose developers subsequently created RealVNC Ltd and claimed VNC and RFB as registered trademarks in the US and some other countries. The original VNC source code and many modern derivatives are open source under the GNU General Public License.