(Virtual Network Computing) Open source remote control software for accessing host computers from a variety of remote clients. A VNC "server" is the host being accessed, while the VNC "client" is the remote device doing the controlling and viewing. VNC uses Java client viewers, which can run on any platform that supports Java-based Web browsers.

Developed at Olivetti & Oracle Research Labs in the U.K. in the late 1990s, the Labs were acquired by AT&T in 1999.

RealVNC and UltraVNC
Maintained by some of the original team that developed it, RealVNC (www.realvnc.com) provides both Windows and Java client viewers that can access Windows, Mac or Unix hosts. UltraVNC (www.ultravnc.com) provides Java access to Windows hosts only.