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VNC - Virtual Network Computing
commentary by Sammy
Wouldn't it be nice, to be able to graphically log in to
any potential system out there? Think of the educational
prospects alone.
The Power of VNC
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Description:
Including links for you to download a really
powerful graphical desktop environment for all of your systems. It
not only works on all the Windows platforms, but Mac
and Unix systems as well. This allows all these different platforms
to graphically communicate with each other. It originated from the
AT&T Laboratories at the University of Cambridge, Dept of Engineering.
Very powerful concept. Kind of like Microsoft Apps PC Anywhere or
Terminal Server but not only runs on all these different hardware
platforms via this graphical desktop, but can also redirect through
extremely high level secure shell encryption. VNC includes both client
and server software to run on every system out there. Any system can
become either a client or server. VNC servers can even be accessed via
an Internet browser. And one of the best parts of all, this falls
under GPL, (GNU Public Libraries), so there is no licensing fee to pay
or have to deal with. All source code is available for download and
inspection so you could even build your own binaries.
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Screen Shot of Windows box accessing a Linux Desktop.
Click on image to enlarge. Got root?
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If you wanted, you could even have someone on a Mac computer
system control or view what you wanted them to see, or view
or control what they are doing. You could bring up someone's
desktop and see what they are up to. Where several people could
all be on the exact same desktop from different locations at the
same time. Lock out keyboard and mouse communication just for
viewing. Monitor other systems at your offices. Admins can keep
track of on going systems with a couple of clicks. All server
type systems including Linux, Solaris, HPUX, BSD, Mac OSX, Unix
and Windows NT/200x can install VNC servers as system services.
You can even run Windows 9x or XP boxes as a service. Run Linux
software from your Mac box. Run Mac software on your Windows box.
Run Windows software from your Linux system. Any combination you
can think of. Great way to learn other operating systems without
having to first load them on your own system. VNC is a very small,
tight and fast application that is definitely worth looking in to.
Windows Systems --> Linux Systems --> Firewall --> Internet
Screen Shot of Linux box accessing a Windows desktop.
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Because of all the Windows viruses out on the Internet, I
use VNC on my Windows boxes, to access outside connections
through my Linux systems. Keeping all of my Windows boxes
completely buffered for Internet access, but allowing them
to log in to the Linux systems and have those systems access
the Internet, e-mail and other outside services.
Firewall issues:
On Linux and most Unix systems, depending on how many VNC
connections, can use ports 5800-58xx for browser access and
ports 5900-59xx for the VNC client/server. Or, you can redirect
all traffic through your secure shell port (typically port 22).
At this time, there is only one desktop available to share for
Mac and Windows systems. The Mac and Windows systems would need to
open up just the ports of either/both of 5800 and 5900 for
access to their desktop.
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Note for Mac Users:
Since the later version of Max OSX, Darwin kernel 7.0 (release name Panther),
Mac now includes an X11 environment that can be loaded on to the Dock (status
bar or panel). This enables a much more compatible environment for Mac
communications to other Unix systems. Not only including the Unix standard of
the KDE desktop, but also the entire GNU public libraries and compilers can be
used to acquire most Unix source that was not previously available. Of course,
I've even had a lot of the Mac users refer to this X11 environment under OSX as
only being used by 'Super Geeks'. We'll see. Once the Mac starts to be able to
use all this additional Unix source for their own use, it will make the Mac that
much more of a contender in the open source community. However, if you're running
on the PPC, my money would be on YDL (Yellow Dog Linux)
which supports multiple desktops, multiple run levels and the ability to cluster
multiple systems together. YDL is also much faster on the older Mac systems,
where OSX is just too slow on the older processors. Look out Microsoft Windows
Operating Systems, you now appear to be the odd man out.
Download YDL (Yellow Dog Linux) v3.01 Here
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