Summary

In this chapter, you learned to use one of the unique network capabilities of Unix operating systems to run applications on one machine while displaying their application windows on the graphical desktop of another machine. Specifically, you learned the following:

• How to use the ssh command to automate the process of launching remote applications for local display.

• How to use the xhost command to control connect permission to the local X Window System display on any Unix or Linux computer. Remember that the ssh method should be used in place of the xhost method whenever possible!

• How to use the DISPLAY environment variable in conjunction with the xhost command to start applications locally for remote display.

• How to use the telnet command when ssh isn't available in conjunction with xhost and DISPLAY to start applications remotely for local display.

• How to enable XDMCP and query entire remote X Window System sessions across the network.

When you master these techniques, your physical location in your network becomes less important because you can access applications of all kinds, whether graphical or text based, on any computer anywhere on your network, from the computer closest to where you are already standing.