Screen share 2020 Macbook Pro M1 w/Big Sur and 2012 iMac w/Pop os?

[graphic4222]

Hello,
Hopefully there are some solutions to the puzzle I'm trying to solve. I am an artist and really only use my computer to run Scribus, GIMP, and Inkscape, browse the internet and move/export image files. I don't game or stream video or work in 3D rendering. I have a new Macbook Pro and I just got an old 27" iMac desktop so I can work with a life size 11x17 image on screen. I got it used, and it only has Pop os installed- (the original mac os is gone due to remote management problems? Details unclear, but don't worry, it wasn't stolen.) I want to be able to share screens from laptop to the larger desktop screen. I haven't found anyone online trying to work with this particular set up, so I'm hoping that doesn't mean I'm doomed.

I have:
-2020 Macbook Pro M1 13" with Big Sur
-2012 iMac 27" with only Pop os
-Thunderbolt 2 cable
-Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 Adapter
-Anker 7-in-1 USB C adapter w/ Hdmi
-Bluetooth keyboard and mouse
-Internet from a dedicated mobile hotspot (moxee), no ethernet or other wifi

I want:
-To either mirror my laptop screen onto the desktop, or expand my laptop workspace to include the desktop screen
-connect the keyboard and mouse to the desktop, and be able to move back and forth from laptop to desktop.
-easily move image files back and forth from desktop to laptop.

I tried connecting the laptop and desktop with the thunderbolt cable, but nothing seemed to happen. I have very little experience with Linux and computers in general, but am willing to learn. Please let me know if you have any possible solutions for my current struggle. Thank you!

 

[stan]

I don't know of hardware and/or cable connections that will do this. I think it's more common to screen mirror to another monitor, usually a television, and not a monitor on another running computer system. Two inputs to the same screen? Split-screen or picture-in-picture maybe or sharing one screen with a switch. I don't think these are what you want.

A rather simple method might be a "remote desktop" program, like TeamViewer (free for personal use, available for both Linux and Mac). This is more than just viewing the desktop though, you get full control of the remote computer, and transferring files is easy with a built-in tool. But it also sacrifices some screen real estate, if you can work around that.

You have 2 Mac computers, and 1 Mac operating system... you might be better off asking a Mac forum for solutions.

 

[KGIII]

Along those lines, there's VNC which is rather platform agnostic. I'm a fan of x11vnc and RealVNC Viewer. But, as they're an artist, I'm not sure the picture quality will be there as most of these remote viewing methods involve some sort of compression to keep the bandwidth down at a dull roar.