ijez wrote:
Not to point out the obvious - but you don't have to run a whole desktop on these alternate displays. You run say a game, or a web browser in fullscreen mode, or an openoffice presentation in fullscreen mode, etc, etc, etc.
Since I running multiple gnome / kde on virtual console just to have a remote desktop client up, is there any suggestions on the 'lite' desktop available 'ready-to-run' for gnome / kde replacement? I've 512MB of RAM on desktop, but to have 4 gnome / kde running at the same time just for remote desktop client, I think it's not so good for the computer and my healthy :) What I like to have is, the main desktop will running gnome / kde as it will be my working desktop, and the others virtual console will running a 'very very lite desktop' as long as it can have remote desktop running on it.
What do you mean by "have remote desktop running on it"? Are you connecting a vncviewer to a remote computer? If that is the case you can run *no* desktop. Just run a vncviewer in fullscreen mode. i.e: xinit /usr/bin/vncviewer -shared -fullscreen -passwd ~/.vnc/passwd somehost:1 -- :1
. it's there any suggestions / advice to have this kind of setup?
There are a whole gaggle of very good, very light desktops. I often use blackbox when I want a light desktop (1-2 Meg memory usage). I'm fond of icewm and windowmaker as well. I really like blackbox. It's very fast and no-nonsense. The menus are easily configurable with a text editor.
The subject of alternate window manages could spawn a thread that never ends. I only mention the ones that I have used for extended periods.. I know that others are very fond of xfce, fluxbox, openbox.
You might try mwm or twm - they're included already and are quite easy on resources.
Since I've given you so much help, you won't mind if I offer some free advice. You seen new to linux and eager to learn ... In the short term - do what you are doing ... ask for help from lists like this one. In the long term, master bash shell syntax and scripting as well as a more proper programming language like Perl. Browse the man pages and read a linux specific web site several times a week(linux today, newsforge, linux weekly news, etc). In other words - master the basics, increase your programming power, and keep abreast of new developments. Follow that path and I'll be asking you for help in a year or two. :)
Oh and at home - ditch windows for linux( or at least dual boot it). Nothing makes you learn to linux quicker than actually using it for day to day work.
-Mark