10 Reasons Why You Should Adopt LINUX

Tech Zone ^ | 2005-08-20 | Hina Aman

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the Link!

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VNC (Virtual Network Computing) software makes it possible to view and fully-interact with one computer from any other computer or mobile device anywhere on the Internet. VNC software is cross-platform, allowing remote control between different types of computer. For ultimate simplicity, there is even a Java viewer, so that any desktop can be controlled remotely from within a browser without having to install software.

Must check that out!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I wondered what that was:

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What Is Cygwin? Cygwin is a Linux-like environment for Windows. It consists of two parts:

• A DLL (cygwin1.dll) which acts as a Linux API emulation layer providing substantial Linux API functionality.
• A collection of tools, which provide Linux look and feel.

  The Cygwin DLL works with all non-beta, non "release candidate", ix86 32 bit versions of Windows since Windows 95, with the exception of Windows CE.

  What Isn't Cygwin?

• Cygwin is not a way to run native linux apps on Windows. You have to rebuild your application from source if you want to get it running on Windows.
• Cygwin is not a way to magically make native Windows apps aware of UNIX ® functionality, like signals, ptys, etc. Again, you need to build your apps from source if you want to take advantage of Cygwin functionality.

  Help, contact, web page, other info...   Historical cygwin info...

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  Now I know!

  BUT WHY?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Free software's replacements for desktop applications

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

VNC is totally awesome. Have used it for years and can't live without it.

For completeness sake you should know that there are those that say that TightVNC (http://www.tightvnc.com) is superior to RealVnc.

Myself, I've used RealVnc and been quite happy with it and certainly it's been worth the purchase price of $0.00. (Tight VNC is also free).

[N3WBI3]

Cygwin to me replaces, and provides more functionality than exceede. You and there are many standard Linux packages (standard as in usage not the same binary) out there for it. You can actually natively start Xwindows on cygwin then all you need to do is open up your xhost (%xhost +), and set your display on the remote system (export DISPLAY=0.0 then you can run an X app natively from another systems on the windows box. I used to manage a netbackup solution that way, just ran the admin application in this manner.

And x windows application can be run off of a *nix server to a windows box running cygwin.

[N3WBI3]

VNC is totally awesome. Have used it for years and can't live without it.

My only beef with VNC is its inability to log? Or do I just not know how? we run VNC on most of our windows boxes and I would just love to be able to point at a log of what IP's connect. Larger consulting companies recommend netmeeting and windows terminal services for windows boxes for just that reason.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

My VNC server typically runs on a Solaris server or on a Linux workstation. My client typically runs on my windows laptop. I run fvwm2 on my VNC session and it typically is my view towards my code, my compilation windows, my executable windows etc. Since all this happens behind a large and secure firewall, I (rightly or wrongly) don't fret about logs, security, etc. No I don't know how to get it do logging, but that's not to say it can't be done.

To me what is irreplaceable about VNC is the preservation of session state. I can have dozens of windows open, with dozens of source files in many instances of xemacs. My xterms have the last 1000 commands I ran (or something like that).

I can go on vacation for a week (or just go home from work) and log back on and *everything* is just as I left it and I can continue working as before. Many times I'll forget exactly what I was doing but the session state immediately reminds me where I was. Maybe not unlike coming back to a mononopoly game where the money, the dice, the pieces, the property is just as it was when you were last playing. All someone has to do is pick up the dice and roll again :)

I can't put a price on that kind of convenience and efficiency.

The security issues are handled at the firewall where someone else gets paid to keep the bad guys out ;)

[discostu]

Market share at home. Maybe most of the folks you know don't play computer games, but the gaming industry's revenue numbers say there's a big chunk that do. Then of course there's all that other stuff that comes with being a big gaming platform: lots of application and hardware support.

[Prime Choice]

Accusing the richest man on the planet of being a communist of all things.

So? Soros is a frikin Communist and HE has billions as well...

...listening for Brass Buzzard's reply...

*crickets*

[MikefromOhio]

LOL!!

[N3WBI3]

To me what is irreplaceable about VNC is the preservation of session state.

Bingo!

The security issues are handled at the firewall where someone else gets paid to keep the bad guys out ;)

I dont think the two ned to be exclusive

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I don't think the two need to be exclusive

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Maybe they don't *need* to be exclusive but in reality they probably *are*. I checked the VNC manpage and from there the XVnc manpage and found this gem.

BUGS
There are many security problems in current Xvnc implementation. It's recommended to restrict network access to Xvnc servers from untrusted network adresses. Probably, the best way to secure Xvnc server is to allow only loopback connections from the server machine (the -localhost option) and to use SSH tunneling for remote access to the Xvnc server. For details on SSH tunneling, see http://www.uk.research.att.com/vnc/sshvnc.html.


My take home msg is that things are pretty much as I've described. It's a great app but not something that's secure enough to use outside of a trusted environment.

[amigatec]

Hey don't laugh I have one of those and it works GOOD!!!

[postaldave]

there is a good reason to have several different distros but you are correct in your thinking. hundreds of flavors can't make things hard to understand or get into.

i think the biggest negative side effect is having so many great programs wasting their time coming up with the same stuff all at the same time.

biggest problem with linux: lack of leadership
best thing about linux: no one person can screw it up on their own.

[A CA Guy]

The more things get complicated with technology, IMO the more it can break down or become hacked.

[postaldave]

"So you're calling JimRob a pinko commie because he chose Linux to host this site?"

LMOA!

this GE troll is what is wrong with world today. people take such a far right or far left position it's not even worth talking with them.

do third world countries use linux? sure they do, what else would those broke ass countries use?

i also can't stand the linux nazi's that think they are so above everyone just because they can run a shell account.
crazy stuff.

i'm not a linux user yet, i do believe it's almost there.

is it communism? no, it's free. stupid trolls will never understand the difference.

[ExDemSince92]

Just an innocent question. If I download Linux to replace Windows XP, what happens if I decide I don't like Linux.

Then you re-apply and re-register Windows XP and go on your merry way :).

I suspect if the re-registration process goes awry and you have to call - Explaining that you tried Linux and didn't like it would earn you a hassle-free re-registration ;)

If your computer did not ship with Windows XP and driver CDs and you are not computer savvy enough to work around such things, then I would suggest your Linux experiment take place on an expendable computer.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Thanks for the info, I'm a computer illiterate, but my IT guy will walk me through this.