Hi folks,

can someone recommend a Linux distribution satisfying the following
requirements:

- 64 bit
- long-term support
- headless operation
- FAST remote GUI access from a Windows desktop

or provide me with some advice on how to set up a system based on some
LTS distro in this manner?

The intention is to have a Linux box tucked away in the corner to run
POV-Ray build and/or performance tests on it, or the occasional
time-consuming render, while sticking to my Windows machine for daily use.

I've been using openSUSE for a while now in this role (and Debian before
that), but I'm dissatisfied with both the lifespan of the major releases
as well as the performance of the user interface (KDE, if I'm not
mistaken) when accessed remotely via Xming.

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Le 02/01/2016 18:30, clipka a écrit :
> Hi folks,
> 
> can someone recommend a Linux distribution satisfying the
> following requirements:
> 
> - 64 bit - long-term support - headless operation - FAST remote GUI
> access from a Windows desktop
> 
> or provide me with some advice on how to set up a system based on
> some LTS distro in this manner?
> 
> The intention is to have a Linux box tucked away in the corner to
> run POV-Ray build and/or performance tests on it, or the
> occasional time-consuming render, while sticking to my Windows
> machine for daily use.
> 
> I've been using openSUSE for a while now in this role (and Debian
> before that), but I'm dissatisfied with both the lifespan of the
> major releases as well as the performance of the user interface
> (KDE, if I'm not mistaken) when accessed remotely via Xming.
> 

Xfce is a lighter window manager, but the fastest is a SSH/telnet
connection without X11 at all. As long as you do not want to display
pictures...

Actually, from my experiment at work, even a light manager still
consumes about 10 MBytes/seconds (it was running a virtual box over a
remote (LAN) connection), so it is not a good idea to run a full
session on the headless; better have the windows desktop also manages
the X11 windows, and limits the traffic.

Back to your question, you can install Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS
(installation need a head, then you can activate ssh server and forget
the head until you need really it... such as broken network). Your
next update would be 16.04 (in late April/June 2016) but you can wait
until 2019 to move away from it.

Only drawback I would foresee, the compiler of 14.04 is gcc 4.8.
And you need to know the CLI to display pictures (my favorite are eog
and display).

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The idle time in use and control Linux - Mandriva, is Mageia now
Doesn't demand reinstallation at a release of the new version, itself it is
automatically updated. gcc-4.9, icewm - the smallest desktop.
At me it is the only system therefore I use KDE.
I don't feel sorry for memory.
Service is most important for me.

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I second your suggestions... and if he already has Xming, running ssh 
with x11 forwarding should be easy and work like a charm to just edit 
files, render and display the results. I used to do that from my windows 
laptop when my monitor died, until I got a new one.

--
jaime

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Am 02.01.2016 um 19:03 schrieb Le_Forgeron:

> Xfce is a lighter window manager, but the fastest is a SSH/telnet
> connection without X11 at all. As long as you do not want to display
> pictures...

Testing the preview display on Linux should be possible; also I'd like
to have the possibility to edit files directly on the Linux box, but I'm
pretty unfamiliar with both vi and emacs keyboard controls, and more of
a mouse jockey anyway, so that rules out SSH/telnet.

> Back to your question, you can install Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS
> (installation need a head, then you can activate ssh server and forget
> the head until you need really it... such as broken network). Your
> next update would be 16.04 (in late April/June 2016) but you can wait
> until 2019 to move away from it.

Ubuntu is indeed on my list of candidates, for that very reason. I don't
like its default user interface though, and I guess it's not optimized
for remote operation either, so I'd probably want to install some
alternative interface.

> Only drawback I would foresee, the compiler of 14.04 is gcc 4.8.

And that would be a problem because...??

> And you need to know the CLI to display pictures (my favorite are eog
> and display).

Not sure what you're saying here.

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Am 02.01.2016 um 20:35 schrieb Jaime Vives Piqueres:
> I second your suggestions... and if he already has Xming, running ssh
> with x11 forwarding should be easy and work like a charm to just edit
> files, render and display the results. I used to do that from my windows
> laptop when my monitor died, until I got a new one.

I might come back to you for some practical advice, if you don't mind.

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El 02/01/16 a las 20:41, clipka escribió:
> I might come back to you for some practical advice, if you don't mind.
>

   I will be glad to give back something to you, of course.

--
jaime

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El 02/01/16 a las 20:38, clipka escribió:
>
> Testing the preview display on Linux should be possible; also I'd like
> to have the possibility to edit files directly on the Linux box, but I'm
> pretty unfamiliar with both vi and emacs keyboard controls, and more of
> a mouse jockey anyway, so that rules out SSH/telnet.

   No, using X11 forwarding you can just use SciTE: works fine with the 
mouse, manages BIG files amazingly, and it even has a POV-Ray addon for 
syntax highlighting.

> Ubuntu is indeed on my list of candidates, for that very reason. I don't
> like its default user interface though, and I guess it's not optimized
> for remote operation either, so I'd probably want to install some
> alternative interface.

   Again, not a problem if you just use ssh with x11... if you want to 
manage files, just call nautilus from the command line.

--
jaime

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In article <5688092d@news.povray.org>, ano### [at] anonymousorg says...
> 
> Hi folks,
> 
> can someone recommend a Linux distribution satisfying the following
> requirements:
> 
> - 64 bit
> - long-term support
> - headless operation
> - FAST remote GUI access from a Windows desktop

I use Ubuntu. I install the server edition so I get a text console.  If 
you install the Workstation, then you get a gui console. It might be no 
big deal but that's what I prefer.  The server edition doesn't come with 
X proper, so I run `sudo apt-get install xclock` and it pulls in all of 
X.


If you're really counting megabits then learn ye vnc 
(vncserver/vncviewer).

I use/support 6000 boxes.  (Is it really a lan when you use all of 10/8 
?) Most of the time I use ssh, but when I need to run our store's app, I 
use vnc, which gives me a remote desktop that is fast.
X is a pig is a pig is a pig. Wait, let me say that again. X-is-a-pig-
is-a-p
uh! autowrap, I'll need to redraw. But first I have to unload my buffer.
ig-is-a-pig.
X-is-a-pig-(don't move your mouse!)is-pig-is-a-pig.

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Am 02.01.2016 um 19:03 schrieb Le_Forgeron:

> Actually, from my experiment at work, even a light manager still
> consumes about 10 MBytes/seconds (it was running a virtual box over a
> remote (LAN) connection), so it is not a good idea to run a full
> session on the headless; better have the windows desktop also manages
> the X11 windows, and limits the traffic.

MWAHAHAHAHA!!!

I now officially have THE X-FACTOR!
I'm one of the X-MEN!
I am INVINCIBLE!

(grabs something long and pointy and rushes off...)
*BANZAI!!*

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