RE: Xwindows and servers

["Heltzel, Dennis" <DHeltzel IKON com>]

I don't know if you would be interested in this, but I have customized the
LRP Linux distribution to run as a Thin Client. That is, it doesn't need any
local HD, and loads everything (including X) from either a NFS server or a
local CD (bootable or not). Workstation customization is kept on a DOS
formatted floppy (diskcopy for a backup) that can be write protected after
setup. This is still very much a "work-in-progress" (meaning the
documentation is lagging behind, and some planned features are not working).

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	James Ervin [SMTP:james kites org]
> Sent:	Wednesday, September 30, 1998 4:02 PM
> To:	redhat-list redhat com
> Subject:	Xwindows and servers
> 
> I need a little help from those of you who are savy with X servers and
> clients.  
> 
> I am trying to set up a network for a nonprofit school and am using Linux
> (this is a favor).  We have a pentium box (server) and a collection of 486
> boxes (workstations).  The staff has no clue about computers, so we are
> setting them up a linux network running fvwm2 (tricky yes we are).  
> 
> Here is what happens:  all apps are run on the main pentium server.  When
> I
> say server, I mean this box.  The client (when I say client I mean the
> remote PC, I know this is not the right terms for X) starts x
> automatically
> because it is set to boot to run level 5.  The workstation automatically
> performs an rlogin to the server and sets a display variable to export the
> display of anything run on the server to the workstatoin.
> 
> The server is running xdm and the pc or client (or x server) has the main
> server's address in the xhosts files.  We then have icons on the fvwm2
> menu
> that run rsh applications on the main server that export the display to
> the
> pc clients.  This works.  This actually works very well. 
> 
> We can run all the KDE tools and all the other items that we want to run.
> Since the app is running on the main server, printing is a non issue.
> File
> storage is on the main server.  All this happens will no user action or
> knowledge.
> 
> Problem:  The PC workstation still needs to start a window manager of some
> kind in order to accept the display export from the Pentium server.  Is
> there a way to run fvwm2 off of the pentium server?  Is there a way to get
> the xserver running and the rsh fvwm2 from the main server?  I have tried,
> but I get the error "another window manager is running".  I have tried
> killing fvwm2, but x dies as well.  
> 
> I have though of an nfs mount to a dir where the fvwm2 files are and
> running them from there (this gives me control over the appearance of all
> the desktops and icons). But I would rather have a simpler solution than
> nfs mounts.
> 
> The idea is to keep this simple and idiot proof, they will get a
> calculator, a calander program a spreadsheet program, a wordprocessor and
> an email program.  Nothing else and no way to get a shell out of the box.
> 
> 
> If something goes wrong, reboot and start again.  
> 
> BTW:  There was a copy of WP for Linux floating around for version 6.  Is
> this a full version with no timeouts?  I still need a free wordprocessing
> app for the school and have found little that can do the job.  I have
> applixwords, but that is not free and staroffice is a little heavy for the
> nature of the equipment.  Any ideas?
> 
> Thanks for the input.
> 
> end
> 
> James Ervin
> City of Bedford Network Administration
> admin ci bedford va us
> (540)586-7156
> 
> 
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