RE: Possibility of RDP server for Linux?

[Brian Adam Pike <bapike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I had the idea a few months ago to write wrappers for some of the core
DLLs in Windows (a la gdi32.dll) to catch graphics commands, consult a
lookup table, translate the graphics command to a different protocol
(X/RDP/VNC/?), and transmit the resulting information.  The lookup table
would be used to figure out where the information needs to be sent, so you
could have multiple simultaneous connections; effectively, multiple users
running applications at the same time.  Does anyone think this is
feasible?  I thought it might be a good idea, did a quick search on
google, and I think I found a commercial product or two that essentially
do this.

Does this seem like it would work?  If so, how?  Even if we were only able
to get a single application to 'export' for every connection, that would
be fine by my standards.  I'm not very familiar with NT/2K/XP security
models.

Any idea on licensing for this?  It seems like all of the applications are
running on a single machine, and not using the RDP subsystem of the
machine... would this bypass the really expensive licensing restrictions?

If it were possible to have a single (win2k/xp) machine in an office that
was the office's MS Office or Outlook server, while avoiding the cost of
a terminal server and win2k licenses for every client that connects... it
seems like this would be quite a popular piece of software.

If viable (that's what I'm offerring this idea up for--please shred it and
tell me why it won't work) I think this would be much, much more useful
than a RDP linux server.  Probably harder to code, but more useful.

This makes me wonder how many people from M$ monitor this list.

-Brian

On Tue, 15 Jan 2002, Todd Meade wrote:

> Doesn't VNC already fill this gap?  Why a RDP specific protocol server for
> Linux?  Are the RDP clients that much better than a RFB/VNC client, where a
> completely open source RFP alternative already exists; with a full range of
> clients (including browser/java) for just about any platform one would be
> using?
>
> Yes, a VNC server on Windows is very slow compared to an RDP server on
> Windows, but that is because because of the closed source nature of Windows.
> However, connecting to a Linux/UNIX VNC server from a vnclient is comparable
> to connecting a RDP server on Windows in my experience.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Peter Byström [mailto:peter.bystrom@ub.oru.se]
> > Sent: Monday, January 14, 2002 11:44 PM
> > To: rdesktop@rdesktop.org
> > Subject: Re: Possibility of RDP server for Linux?
> >
> >
> > the patches at bibl4.oru.se/projects/rdesktop contains some
> > server code, it
> > hasn't been tested in a while... :\ you need to fiddle with
> > the makefile to
> > compile it. :\ it only works for rdesktop clients.....
> >
> > it definitely need some work.
> >
> >
> > regards,
> >
> > peter
> >
> >
> >
> > G Hasse wrote:
> >
> > > On Mon, 14 Jan 2002, Bernd Christiansen wrote:
> > >
> > > Johannes E. Schindelin have made a library to make programs that
> > > can talk to vncviewers. This library must be a good
> > startingpoint... Or?
> > >
> > > GH
> > >
> > > ---snip---
> > >
> > > > Somebody on this list did a VNC to RDP proxy.  Who?  I
> > remember that person
> > > > stating that his or her server would work fine with
> > rdesktop, but not
> > > > WinTerms.  His or her work might be a good starting
> > point.  Also, the VNC
> > >
> > > LibVNCServer: a library for easy implementation of a RDP/VNC server.
> > > Copyright (C) 2001 Johannes E. Schindelin
> > >
> > > What is it?
> > > -----------
> > >
> > > VNC is a set of programs using the RFB (Remote Frame
> > Buffer) protocol.
> > > They
> > > are designed to "export" a frame buffer via net (if you
> > don't know VNC, I
> > > suggest you read "Basics" below). It is already in wide use for
> > > administration, but it is not that easy to program a server
> > yourself.
> > >
> > > ...
> > >
> > > At the same time, the program "rdesktop" (a native Linux
> > client for the
> > > Terminal Services of Windows servers) came to my attention.
> > There where
> > > even works under way to make a protocol converter "rdp2vnc"
> > out of this.
> > > However, my primary goal was a slow connection and rdp2vnc
> > could only
> > > speak RRE encoding, which is not that funny with just
> > 5kB/s. Tim Edmonds,
> > > the original author of rdp2vnc, suggested that I adapt it to Hextile
> > > Encoding, which is better. I first tried that, but had no
> > success at all
> > > (crunchy pictures).
> > >
> > > Contact
> > > -------
> > > To contact me, mail me: Johannes dot Schindelin at gmx dot de
> > >
> > > --- snipp ---
> > >
> > > But to my oppinion X Window is a better consept in the long
> > > run. Together with ssh -X it is very strong.
> > >
> > > GH
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------
> > > Göran Hasse            email: gh@raditex.se     Tel: 08-6949270
> > > Raditex AB             http://www.raditex.se
> > > Sickla Alle 7, 1tr                              Mob: 070-5530148
> > > 131 34  NACKA, SWEDEN
> >
>