Howto install a free NX Server on Debian 4.0

When you can get it working, NoMachine's XServer is pretty nice. But. It is not open source. The free-beer NX Server is new; they didn't offer that the last time I futzed with it.

There is an open-source NX server, FreeNX, but there is no FOSS client, so you have to use NoMachine's non-free binary client. Which depends on the very antique libstdc++2.10 library. In addition, the client must be matched to the server version, or it won't work without major tweakage, if at all. This happens often with FreeNX; they don't keep up with NoMachine's releases, and NoMachine does not make their older clients available for download. Sometimes you can find them on other sites.

In my experience, the pain outweighs the benefits. OpenVNC and its many cousins are fine for me. If you want to try NXServer, this article should get you over the bumpy bits.

> OpenVNC and its many cousins are fine for me.

Ditto. They've always worked well for me. Even in Windows, the RealVNC, TightVNC, UltraVNC, and GenControl options are available and do the job.

Quoting:NoMachine's XServer is pretty nice. But. It is not open source.

Wrong, its core is. NoMachine have thankfully licensed the core of NX under the GPL https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/freenx-knx

Probably because NX started as a 'libre' project. I remember LXer ran an article about it, before the NoMachine company even existed. I even remember the article telling the pro's of NX when compared to VNC, being NX working far better over slow connections because of smart data compression (not a bad memory, huh?)

Quoting:There is an open-source NX server, FreeNX, but there is no FOSS client

Partly wrong too. kNX is the initial KDE NX Client implementation, that was written as a "proof-of-concept" within 2 half days of hacking during LinuxTag 2004. Nonetheless, I can't find where to download it, but if a 'proof-of-concept' can be made within two half days, it can't be that difficult, especially since NX-core libraries are GPL.

Which means (translated): If you want a 'libre' NX client, just invite some KDE-hackers over for a few days, and make sure there are 'awards', like beer and lots of caffeïne. If that's not enough, threaten them Gnome already has a free NX client, that could also help. Or just do it yourself if you are able to.

Tuxchick: It wouldn't be a bad idea to check your statements twice, because otherwise people will accuse you of FUD again ;)

Well Hans, I'll grant that NXServer is partly open source. Most of it isn't. If you can find an actual working, production-ready, maintained FOSS nxclient, and not some drunken throwaway, I shall also stand corrected. But until then, nay! I stand firm upon my rock of determination!

Bring on the FUD-trolls. I sneer at them, because they know not the difference between errors of fact, propaganda, and FUD. I scoff in their general direction and I insult their parentages!

Quoting:If you can find an actual working, production-ready, maintained FOSS nxclient

Have to admit, can't do that. Since I'm not a programmer myself (except for TI-83 Basic, then I'm one of the best there is, but that doesn't count), I'm not able to make one myself. That's really sad, because I liked this whole NX idea, especially since it looked 'better' than anything MS has to offer.

Ofcourse, this is brought up *after* Google's SOC has closed. Try to remember it for next year. Perhaps we can poll KDE, Gnome or some other group to take on creating a FreeNX client as a SOC project. Hey, why not the FreeNX guys?