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Butt Sniffer Joined: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 1620

I obtained a new (used) computer that I put ubuntu on. My main box is an XP machine. Right now I have them set up using a KVM switch. What I would like to do is be able to log into the ubuntu machine and see the desktop within a window on my XP machine.
Is there anything out there (free) better than VNC?

Guide Dog Joined: 08 Nov 2003 Posts: 8403 Location: MN

what's your issue with vnc?

there is a remote desktop client for linux but I would say it is much worse then vnc.

Butt Sniffer Joined: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 1620

anglachel wrote:
what's your issue with vnc?

there is a remote desktop client for linux but I would say it is much worse then vnc.

I've had great luck in the past using VNC Windows to Windows, but never on linux. I admit I haven't tried VNC on this install, but in the past I could never get it to work right. I was just fishing to see if there is anything better out there.

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:17 am Post subject:

If Linux is your main box, say for example Ubuntu. The native Remote Desk client bunlded with the install is great. I use it daily, it blows away VNC.

Infact the Linux Remote Desktop Client seems MUCH faster than the Native Windows Client. Which of course I find great humor in Very Happy

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:57 am Post subject:

If you have a headless box, like a server running in runlevel 3 or something where there's no desktop, I often find it useful to use X forwarding to run remote graphical apps on my local machine.

With Cygwin/X installed, you can also forward remote Linux graphical apps to a local Windows box, which is extremely cool. My work PC is set up for this for debugging Linux builds with Fedora Eclipse running remotely forwarded to the X server running locally on Windows. Cool

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:13 am Post subject:

Ubuntu remote desktop is a vino server, an integrated VNC server for Gnome.

It's fantastic software - I use it to troubleshoot any problems the folks are having with their box. Of course, it only works with a Gnome session running, which might not be ideal in your situation?

Here's a good (Ubuntu based) guide:

http://www.ubuntugeek.com/share-your-ubuntu-desktop-using-remote-desktop.html

Butt Sniffer Joined: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 1620

Sorry, I'm new to ubuntu, and just noticed that RD is built in. Haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but will this afternoon.
Thanks for the guide Jay

Guide Dog Joined: 08 Nov 2003 Posts: 8403 Location: MN

CMTG wrote:
If you have a headless box, like a server running in runlevel 3 or something where there's no desktop, I often find it useful to use X forwarding to run remote graphical apps on my local machine.

With Cygwin/X installed, you can also forward remote Linux graphical apps to a local Windows box, which is extremely cool. My work PC is set up for this for debugging Linux builds with Fedora Eclipse running remotely forwarded to the X server running locally on Windows.

Nice if you have a fast connection between the boxes.
Not so nice if it is over a internet connection. You'd think it would be just as snappy as vnc, but I find vnc to work alot better over lower speed connections.

Butt Sniffer Joined: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 1620

anglachel wrote:
CMTG wrote:
If you have a headless box, like a server running in runlevel 3 or something where there's no desktop, I often find it useful to use X forwarding to run remote graphical apps on my local machine.

With Cygwin/X installed, you can also forward remote Linux graphical apps to a local Windows box, which is extremely cool. My work PC is set up for this for debugging Linux builds with Fedora Eclipse running remotely forwarded to the X server running locally on Windows.

Nice if you have a fast connection between the boxes.
Not so nice if it is over a internet connection. You'd think it would be just as snappy as vnc, but I find vnc to work alot better over lower speed connections.

Funny you say that, I just got the built in RD working. I find it fairly slow. I am connecting to it over my home network wirelessly (802.11b). But it's good enough for now.

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:39 am Post subject:

anglachel wrote:
CMTG wrote:
If you have a headless box, like a server running in runlevel 3 or something where there's no desktop, I often find it useful to use X forwarding to run remote graphical apps on my local machine.

With Cygwin/X installed, you can also forward remote Linux graphical apps to a local Windows box, which is extremely cool. My work PC is set up for this for debugging Linux builds with Fedora Eclipse running remotely forwarded to the X server running locally on Windows.

Nice if you have a fast connection between the boxes.

We do. The build machines are just in the next room, so it works well.

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:15 am Post subject:

Like Jaymac said, the default Remote Desktop for Gnome is VNC. My only complaint about it is that there is no option to disable the wallpaper like there is on windows. Or if there is said option, I've not found it.

If you are using a default Ubuntu install with GDM, you can setup a dedicated VNC server with resumable sessions. The beauty of this is that you can reduce the desktop resolution, and not have a wallpaper, which speeds things up quite a bit. I don't use GDM though, so I haven't found a way to do this yet. I haven't really looked though.