Final Thoughts

Remote computing, terminal computing, and assisted computing are all technically similar, but they each serve very different purposes:

  • Remote computing enables us to connect to the server in the basement or the desktop down the hall.

  • Terminal computing is all about centralizing applications on a single server with multiple users getting access to those applications at the same time while retaining their unique settings.

  • Assisted computing has a more modest goal: allowing a "co-pilot" to temporarily assist in the operation of a particular system by sharing a view of the desktop and providing both parties with access to the keyboard and mouse.

You've seen how these goals can be achieved in a cross-platform environment. Linux guests can access Windows hosts, and Windows guests can access Linux hosts . Either operating system can be used simply as a "thin client" for accessing the other.

VNC-based remote and assisted computing for Linux isn't quite up to the standard set by RDP on Windows. RDP integrates encryption, local printing and sound into the experience. The free versions of VNC don't really do these things yet. However, it is likely that we'll see encryption, at least, as a standard feature in open -source VNC guest and host applications before long.

Terminal computing on Linux deserves special mention for the lack of licensing costs. The only thing that limits the number of guests connected to a Fedora terminal computing host is the memory and computing power of the server. The Linux Terminal Server Project also deserves an acknowledgment here. The LTSP.org project is alive and kicking with some great developers and support. We have met these guys firsthand, and they're super-charged about their project. Their enthusiasm is really catching.



Windows and Linux Integration. Hands-on Solutions for a Mixed Environment
Windows And Linux Integration Hands-on Solutions for a Mixed Environment - 2005 publication.
ISBN: B003JFRFG0
EAN: N/A
Year: 2005
Pages: 71

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