Is there a Linux X server with VNC support?

["Beerse, Corné"]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stan Gowen [mailto:sgowen "at" us.ibm.com]
> 
> I'm new to this mailing list, but have been using VNC for 
> several years.

You've missed some things...

> 
> I have used VNC to access my UNIX box at work from my PC at home
> and laptop.

Which unix?

> 
> But the main way in which I use VNC daily is to run the VNC server on
> my Windows 2000 laptop and connect to it from my Unix box with a
> VNC client.  This allows me to use one keyboard and mouse to control
> both my PC and Unix box and allows me to cut and paste between
> them, which has been very useful and productive for me.  My project
> mandated mailer (Lotus Notes) requires the W2K box.

I bet there is a Linux implementation for Lotus Notes, for other unixes too.
However, I don't know details.

> 
> I run an Xserver on three graphics adapters in my Unix box.  
> Two of the
> adapters (DISPLAY values are :0.0 and :0.1) are connected to monitors
> and I use them for my Unix work.  The other is not normally 
> connected to
> a monitor (DISPLAY value is :0.2).  Instead I connect my PC 
> directly to a
> third monitor and use VNC to provide the keyboard and mouse access
> to the PC.  VNC graphics were obviously slower than a direct monitor
> connection to my PC.

Nice setup..

> 
> Now I'm adding Linux to the mix.  I have installed RedHat 7.3 
> on the same
> laptop and sometimes need to use it instead of Windows 2000 
> (I do loose
> my mailer for the duration, though).

So it should run vncserver e.g. Xvnc.

> 
> I have successfully loaded Linux VNC binaries on the RedHat 
> 7.3 install,

Should be easy, they are in the distribution.

> started a VNC server and connected to it from my normal Unix 
> box.  However,
> when you start a VNC server on any Unix box it always starts 
> a background
> X Server (DISPLAY=:1).  What I would really like to do is be able to
> connect
> directly to the same Xserver (DISPLAY=:0) that I can visually 
> see on my laptop
> screen. This would allow me a setup similar to that for my 
> Windows 2000 box.
> 
> I'm no X guru, but I think you would have to have a version of some X
> server with VNC support added to do what I would like.
> 
> Has anyone out there done anything like this with a Linux X 
> server and VNC or have any ideas?

Some ideas:
First: Do NOT use the vnc-server approache for RedHat, it has some
disadvantages.

For linux (or other unix?) with XFree version 4.2, have a look at 
http://xf4vnc.sourceforge.net/. Might also work on other unix platforms
using XFree 4.

For linux (or other unix?) which uses the framebuffer (either as text
console or as base for any Xserver) have a look at
http://www.hexonet.de/software/x0rfbserver/. Might also work on other unix
platforms with framebuffer at the console, like HP on PA-Risc or Solaris on
SunSparc.

For a multi user system which does NOT serve the console (but who cares,
there is no need to on unix):
http://www.sourcecodecorner.com/articles/vnc/linux.asp. This is my favorite.
It can be combined with one of the above.



> 
> P.S. Sorry for the long initial note.

It's always nice to read success stories.