FreeNX kicks VNCs ass

tomk

Anyone else using FreeNX? I've just set it up on my Ubuntu desktop at home, and I'm now logged on from my W2K PC at work. I occasionally used VNC before, but with a 128k uplink, it was barely usable. FreeNX is so much quicker - almost like being there...

damien

I used TightVNC, a lot easier for remote connections even via Dialup.

Capt'n Midnight

rdesktop machine
will allow a unix box to connect to a windows terminal server, again it's much faster than VNC.

Point is VNC still runs on more platforms than anything else, inc. PDA's

With knoppix 3.6 & 3.7 I've to install VNC so it can manage windows PC's

http://www.nomachine.org/store.php

http://mail.kde.org/pipermail/freenx-knx/2004-October/000287.html

No, there isn't a native Windows port of the NX server
> components...yet For the time being, however, you can run CoLinux
> on your Windows installation and then install FreeNX on the CoLinux
> instance. Here's how:

tomk

damien.m wrote:

I used TightVNC, a lot easier for remote connections even via Dialup.

OK, but I don't mind a little difficulty if it gives me better performance.

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

rdesktop machine
will allow a unix box to connect to a windows terminal server

NX does that too.

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Point is VNC still runs on more platforms than anything else, inc. PDA's

Probably, but there are NX clients for PocketPC, Sharp Zaurus, even PS2(!)

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Is there a FreeNX server for Windows ??

No - NX can connect to Terminal Services and VNC, as well as NX itself.

po0k

but is it still as smooth?

tomk

I'm not sure how you measure smoothness, syxpak, but in my particular circumstances, VNC could be as smooth as my six-week-old son's behind, and it would count for nothing - it would still be too slow to use. It's subjective, I guess, but FreeNX certainly seems smooth to me. The response time, though, is what matters to me.

po0k

Smoothness means response time, the general feel.

And I meant is FreeNX as smooth when connecting to a VNC server running on a windows box as it is connecting to a FreeNX server running on a *nix box?

tomk

Alright - I'm with you now. Can't answer the question though, as I don't have VNC running on Windows.

Khannie

I know there's a sticky about dragging up old posts, but this one's not too old....

Anyway, I'm working from home today and writing this over tightvnc but it's nothing compared to remote desktop. Responsiveness is sluggish in comparisson IMO so I want freenx, but I'm wondering if there's any way to have it without being root?

Also, let's say I had a local linux installation, how would using the DISPLAY environment variable work out for running GUI's remotely but displaying them locally? Does X do any kind of reasonable compression over the network?

The machine I have for work at home is rubbish. Very very old with limited RAM so it can only be used as a dumb terminal.

zAbbo

I havent found anything as good as RDP for remote work, VNC is CPU hungry as well as ****

Messed around with FreeNX on mac, but never bothered working it out.

Rambo

Capt'n Midnight]rdesktop machine
will allow a unix box to connect to a windows terminal server, again it's much faster than VNC.

you will need a Windows cal licence for this

L1011

Rambo wrote:

Capt'n Midnight]rdesktop machine
will allow a unix box to connect to a windows terminal server, again it's much faster than VNC.

you will need a Windows cal licence for this

Or XP Pro. Which includes it by default.

Khannie

Yeah, I have XP pro on my work machine.

So....I got tightVNC and found that it was terrible because.....it takes too much processing power on the client side (which I dont have). Switched to using hextile encoding and it's response times are tolerable, though still not as good as remote desktop.

May ask the IT heads for sudo root permissions. Expect lead balloon type response, but I want to try this freeNX malarky.

Khannie

Just wanted to post an update on this. Just got my sudo permissions yesterday. Currently using FreeNX over VPN + ADSL to write this and I can confirm what the thread subject says: FreeNX does indeed kick VNC's ass. It's much much closer to remote desktop type responsiveness.

As a result of FreeNX's quality, my windows desktop has been taken away for RHEL 4 installation. I no longer have a windows machine (in work). Big step for me.