Two Displays, Two Mice?

[wally_666]

Preferred, is not required.  I'd argue using XP and its required license for every Kiosk is wasitng taxpayer dollars since you can clone the Linux system and cross-compiled CVI at no further expense lowering the net cost of every Kiosk.  And if there is only one to be made, it shouldn't matter what you use inside.

I've worked on Navy projects with embedded PCs that have used Linux in the past.

--wally.

[dummy_decoy]

the "equivalent" of X-Windows under Windows is Remote Desktop. it is indeed possible to have multiple sessions active at the same time on the computer, but i don't know any ways of opening a remote desktop session locally... you will need to dig further in this direction.

however, you said that 2 computers was difficult due to a space constraints.
- have you had a look at small computers ? like this or this. and these are the first 2 hits on google, there are plenty of such computers existing.
- also, 2 standardized and industrial forms of smaller computers are CompactPCI (a PCI backbone, generally in a 19" rack into which you mount processor boards and other system peripherals) or PC104 (the oldest form of small computer, based on an ISA bus but has been extended to support PCI). those computers are generally running Windows CE (i don't know if CVI run on this OS) or Windows XP Embedded (CVI surely run on this OS). i am confident you can put 10 of them in the space taken by a standard ATX form-factor PC.
- another possibility is running 2 laptops with their lid closed...
you just need to be sure they are running an x86 processor: an intel celeron M is perfect for such a task.

[hendra@ngms]

I greatly appreciate all the information provided.  I'm getting some very interesting info apart from my original question.

The computer, or computers, must have space for two PCI cards.  If a single computer with a second video card, then three slots.  The backup plan would be to find two fairly small rackmount computers, probably 2U.    I need to delivery 3 of these systems, so the cost of XP vs Linux is not a significant factor.

I have used XP embedded on previous projects and it works well.  Never used CE.

[EFNA]

Maybe you could use an Optical Imaging Touch Screen which allows for simultaneous use of multiple touch points?