4 ms·

Virtual Linux Remote Desktop

28 points by wheresvic1 7y ago

microwavecamera 7y ago
Cool guide but I'd change one thing: echo mynewuser:mynewpassword | sudo chpasswd If you set the password using echo like this it will log the plaintext password in the current user's .bash_history file.
- dekhn 7y ago
  depending on the bash version, prepending a space will cause the command to not be logged.
couchand 7y ago
I appreciate the general sentiment in having a reproducible work environment. But I must ask if the complexity of running and tunneling X is needed -- what desktop software are you running in this environment?
dekhn 7y ago
personally I found xrdp server w/ RDP client works great.
- indigodaddy 7y ago
  Same here. Works great. I've used x2go before years ago, and it works fine but it's just over-complicated IMO. xrdp is simple, easy to setup, and just use and RDP client.
viraptor 7y ago
> systemctl disable unattended-upgrades That's a bad advice and it really has no place in this article. Please leave your automatic update in place.
equalunique 7y ago
These types of setups have their uses! I have tried to achieve similar setups in the past using a Fedora VM running VNC server and a Chromebook running VNC client. One pain point that you might not expect is how the client handles the Crtl, Alt, and Windows key modifiers. Browser-based clients especially will not pass these through, and thust interfacing with the remote system is usually not as convenient as many newcomers expect.
amanzi 7y ago
I do this often but a little less complicated than what is proposed here. * Start with an Ubuntu Server base * Install tasksel: sudo apt install tasksel * Install the Xubuntu core desktop: sudo tasksel install xubuntu-core * Install XRDP: sudo apt install xrdp Then two small changes to make XRDP work: * sed -i 's/allowed_users=console/allowed_users=anybody/g' /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config * echo "startxfce4" > ~/.Xclients Give the machine a reboot and you're good to go. You can log in with an RDP client and continue configuring as you see fit.
- zamadatix 7y ago
  What's the difference between "taskel install xubunutu-core" and "apt install xubuntu-core"?
  - amanzi 7y ago
    Really not sure. I've always just done it with tasksel. If "apt install xubuntu-core" gives the same result, then there's no need to install tasksel first.
number6 7y ago
Maybe I am missing something, but why doesn't he just do an xforward via ssh -x?
- cuchulain 7y ago
  Using x2go means you get a persistent desktop: your apps are left running when you close the session, and you can resume where you left off when you reconnect.

28 points by wheresvic1 7y ago

Cool guide but I'd change one thing: echo mynewuser:mynewpassword | sudo chpasswd If you set the password using echo like this it will log the plaintext password in the current user's .bash_history file.

dekhn 7y ago
depending on the bash version, prepending a space will cause the command to not be logged.

couchand 7y ago

I appreciate the general sentiment in having a reproducible work environment. But I must ask if the complexity of running and tunneling X is needed -- what desktop software are you running in this environment?

dekhn 7y ago

personally I found xrdp server w/ RDP client works great.

indigodaddy 7y ago
Same here. Works great. I've used x2go before years ago, and it works fine but it's just over-complicated IMO. xrdp is simple, easy to setup, and just use and RDP client.

viraptor 7y ago

> systemctl disable unattended-upgrades That's a bad advice and it really has no place in this article. Please leave your automatic update in place.

equalunique 7y ago

These types of setups have their uses! I have tried to achieve similar setups in the past using a Fedora VM running VNC server and a Chromebook running VNC client. One pain point that you might not expect is how the client handles the Crtl, Alt, and Windows key modifiers. Browser-based clients especially will not pass these through, and thust interfacing with the remote system is usually not as convenient as many newcomers expect.

amanzi 7y ago

I do this often but a little less complicated than what is proposed here. * Start with an Ubuntu Server base * Install tasksel: sudo apt install tasksel * Install the Xubuntu core desktop: sudo tasksel install xubuntu-core * Install XRDP: sudo apt install xrdp Then two small changes to make XRDP work: * sed -i 's/allowed_users=console/allowed_users=anybody/g' /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config * echo "startxfce4" > ~/.Xclients Give the machine a reboot and you're good to go. You can log in with an RDP client and continue configuring as you see fit.

zamadatix 7y ago
What's the difference between "taskel install xubunutu-core" and "apt install xubuntu-core"?
- amanzi 7y ago
  Really not sure. I've always just done it with tasksel. If "apt install xubuntu-core" gives the same result, then there's no need to install tasksel first.

number6 7y ago

Maybe I am missing something, but why doesn't he just do an xforward via ssh -x?

cuchulain 7y ago
Using x2go means you get a persistent desktop: your apps are left running when you close the session, and you can resume where you left off when you reconnect.