[K12OSN] OT - Web based appliance

[rmcdaniel at indata.us]

Yes, I currently use UltraVNC which is the preferred way to use VNC in
that situation.  I use that for support issues.  No, STI isn't a web
application.  It is a client server application that has to run on a
windoze box...  I think that Tarantella will do what I am trying to
accomplish.  I am trying to get to the point where all of my apps are
served up in a web interface.  Due to extreme cost, I don't want to go
the M$ Terminal/Citrix way.  I am not that familiar with FreeNX, but I
will check it out.  Should I also be looking at possiby running a VM so
that I could run Windoze apps on my K12LTSP box that will be accessible
by the thin clients ???

Just trying to get to the point where I can roll out thin clients every
(mostly) where.

Thanks,

Ron


Ronald R. McDaniel
Conecuh County Schools
(251) 578-1752 x30
rmcdaniel at indata.us



> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: [K12OSN] OT - Web based appliance
> From: Les Mikesell <les at futuresource.com>
> Date: Mon, April 30, 2007 6:50 pm
> To: "Support list for open source software in schools."
> <k12osn at redhat.com>
> 
> rmcdaniel at indata.us wrote:
> > This actually presents all of the applications running on any
> server, as
> > a web based application.  I would like to put a thin client on my
> > teacher's desk but I have been unable to do that due to our Student
> > Management System, STI.  With something like this I can serve it up as
> > a web based application and access it with just a web browser.
> 
> 
> If you are on the LAN or performance isn't a big issue you should be 
> able to do this with the applet version of vnc.  First you would set up 
> a login on the server to act the way you want (probably one of the 
> lightweight window mangers and a kiosk-like menu).  Then you set up a 
> web page that downloads the applet and connects back.  I think the 
> standalone version of vncserver will do this - and you could use it for 
> testing.  For actual use you'd probably want the xinetd-started vnc 
> sessions so you'd need a separate web page to download the applet.
> 
> To test the concept, use something like:
> vncserver :16
> from a test account, give it a password, then connect from a browser 
> using http://server_name:5816
> I think the default window manager will be twm, so don't expect much at 
> this point - just type the name of some application you want to try to 
> see if the performance is reasonable.  If you think it could work, then 
> we can figure out a way to get the applet downloaded from a web page 
> without needing vncserver.  Then it is a just a matter of setting up a 
> login to work the way you want - or perhaps giving them the default 
> login that you would get with a standalone vnc connection.
> 
> Don't forget to run
> vncserver -kill :16
> from the same account after you are done testing.  Vncserver has an 
> assortment of options you might want to test that will affect the screen 
> size and depth, but for real use you'll want to convert them over to the 
>   vnc invocations from xinetd so you get fresh logins for each
> connection.
> The reason for testing with vncserver is that it has the embedded applet 
> downloader listening on port 5800 + display number so you can use it 
> without a vnc viewer on the client.  If it works, there are other ways 
> you can download that applet.
> 
> -- 
>    Les Mikesell
>     les at futuresource.com
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> K12OSN mailing list
> K12OSN at redhat.com
> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn
> For more info see <http://www.k12os.org>