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VNC client window as a virtual desktop to the left of my real screen

I am not sure of the correct terminology. So, hopefully my subject is clear enough to draw in some viewers.

I very often work with a desktop Linux machine in front of me and my windows laptop off to the left side of my main screen. Rather than switch back and forth between keyboards all of the time, I keep a vnc window open to my laptop (TigerVNC client v0.0.91 on a Fedora 11 install and RealVNC 4.1.2 server on the laptop). This keeps me from having to switch mice and keyboards, but then, I have a VNC window taking up space on my Linux desktop.

What I would really like is to have a setup where my VNC session is positioned as a separate screen to one side of my regular desktop screens. Then, I could just drag my mouse off the left of my existing screen and be on my laptop's screen by way of the VNC connection.

Does anyone out there have an idea of how I might do this either directly with VNC or as a hack of my xorg.conf file? Can I make a screen that has an output like /dev/null so that it exists but doesn't actually output to a physical device? Then, I just pull my VNC window over to that screen and run it full screen.

From your description, I think you may be interested in synergy: http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/.

Quote:

Introduction

synergy: [noun] a mutually advantageous conjunction of distinct elements

Synergy lets you easily share a single mouse and keyboard between multiple computers with different operating systems, each with its own display, without special hardware. It's intended for users with multiple computers on their desk since each system uses its own monitor(s).

Redirecting the mouse and keyboard is as simple as moving the mouse off the edge of your screen. Synergy also merges the clipboards of all the systems into one, allowing cut-and-paste between systems. Furthermore, it synchronizes screen savers so they all start and stop together and, if screen locking is enabled, only one screen requires a password to unlock them all. Learn more about how it works.

I've used this in the past to share the mouse between a Mac and a Slackware Box as well as between a Windows box and an EeePC running the default Xandros installation. It's generally pretty painless to setup; there are some GUIs out there if you're that way inclined.

Alternatively, why don't you just put the VNC client screen on your Fedora machine on a separate virtual desktop, then you can flick between the two desktops using a keyboard shortcut?

Thanks, synergy looks like even more than what I was looking for. Sounds like a good way to spend my Friday night.