Simultaneous VNC sessions?

Hamish · 12 May 2008 at 19:33

When I used to use Windows server 2003 you could boot the computer up, then log in via remote desktop and see your desktop. When you disconnected everything stayed logged in. Also while you were logged in other people could remote desktop into the same server and do their own things.

On my Ubuntu install it seems like you can only view what is currently on the screen. Is there a way to do the same as in 2003?

JIM_BOB7813 · 12 May 2008 at 19:47

It sounds like you are using the KDE desktop sharing, you want the other one (name escapes me, xvnc i think? ultra vnc? tight vnc? ), but it starts a new desktop for each user which will stay there if you disconnect, and will only restart if you close vncserver.

Hamish · 12 May 2008 at 20:03

does that mean I have to use KDE instead of gnome?

TrX · 12 May 2008 at 20:07

No, it is possible to install VNC so that it starts a new X session (desktop) per user, regardless of whether you are using KDE or Gnome. A quick google for VNC linux terminal server gave me:

http://linuxreviews.org/howtos/xvnc/

This should get you where you want to be, and plenty of reading / learning along the way

//TrX

Dracata · 14 May 2008 at 15:33

TrX said:
No, it is possible to install VNC so that it starts a new X session (desktop) per user, regardless of whether you are using KDE or Gnome. A quick google for VNC linux terminal server gave me:

http://linuxreviews.org/howtos/xvnc/

This should get you where you want to be, and plenty of reading / learning along the way

//TrX

In addition to this, you can actually start multiple VNC sessions per-user (not a single instance per-user)

MT- · 15 May 2008 at 22:24

This was actually what vnc was designed to do, provide a virtual X11 server that could be connected to anywhere there was a mouse, a screen and a keyboard, rather than to take over and control a local session remotely. They invented it at a computer lab in cambridge, the guys had RFID-like dongles, so whatever computer they sat down at, it had their own display. They didnt have indivudual PCs per se, they all timeshared on a big server.

Anyways, you want to install tightvnc from your favourite packaging system, and then check out "man vncserver". Its all crazily simple.

[Edit: should have read that terminal server howto, thats a fantastic way of doing it, so ignore me

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