VNC?

[c123]

c123: OK, so what I'm using is a KDE version of VNC, not true VNC? You recommend I try the Debian TightVNC binaries. Can I install this with apt-get? Also, do I understand you correctly: TightVNC makes it easy to set the timeout and the password? What if I want to take control of a student's desktop remotely (from mine), can I do this without his/her permission maybe as root?

Thanx for all your input gentlemen, this is sounding more and more promising all the time!

TIA,
AJG

VNC was originally developed in the Olivetti research labs in the UK. The original developers stopped working on it at one stage. Then a few differnent groups of developers continued development (VNC is open-source), this led to several versions including TridiaVNC and TightVNC. Then the original developers started doing VNC again, this time under the new name 'RealVNC'. So what I'm saying is that there is no longer a 'true' VNC, just several different variants (which are still inter-operable BTW).

Personally and in general, for multi OS environments, I'd suggest using TightVNC or RealVNC. I like TightVNC (good compression schemes), but I'm also looking at the betas of the new RealVNC version (very promising). I subscribe to both mailing lists.

For a standard KDE (Knoppix) user , KDE desktop sharing is good as it's a KDE app and it allows you to see display:0. With other versions of VNC you generally cannot (without an xserver hack) see display:0. Display:0 is the one that the current user is looking at. I.e. with most VNC versions on Linux you cannot really share a desktop :(

However there are two limitations to KDE desktop sharing that annoy me - the fact you cannot set the password, and that the connection window is 1 hour only (i.e. if you do not connect within the hour, the invitation is no longer valid - you can no longer connect). Also KDE desktop sharing uses version 3.5 of the RFB (VNC) protocol, whereas Tight uses version 3.7 (better compression).

As firebyrd10 said, RealVNC 4 (currently in beta) will allow you to see the same desktop (display:0). I imagine TightVNC will allow you to do the same soon after (the different developers will implement good ideas from other groups).

You'll be glad to know that TightVNC is already in Knoppix :) It's more or less a case of setting a password for the user, then typing 'vncserver' to start it up (man vncserver for switches).

Anyway thuis post is starting to ramble ;), and I have work to do :( Check out the Real and Tight sites ( www.realvnc.com and www.tightvnc.com)

As for your question about seeing your students' desktop, what OS will your students be running (I think debian/Knoppix,)?

p.s. KDE's Desktop sharing is "cross platform" - i.e. from my windows box I've been able to see my KDE desktop and vice versa. VNC (and its variants) are designed to be closs platform - a viewer does not care what platform the server is on and vice versa.