Remote Desktop VPS

HalfEatenPie

So... I'm thinking about getting a box for a remote desktop (for when I don't have my netbook on me).

Anyone have any recommendations on a setup? What are your setup? Your specs? Your favorite flavor of bubble gum? Your provider/plan combination? What do you use it for? What programs does it normally run?

TELL ME EVERYTHING (even the brand of pencil you use).

TheHackBox

ok this is going to be long but...
OS: Debian 6
Desktop Environment: XFCE or LXDE
RAM: 96MB or more
Gum Flavor: Strawberry with Lime
Provider: Any really.
Programs: Firefox and Terminal
Brand of Pencil: How would I know? I don't look at my pencil like that...

HalfEatenPie

@TheHackBox said: Gum Flavor: Strawberry with Lime

You forgot the brand of pencil you use

TheHackBox

k updated.

netomx

96 mb, and firefox? Impossibruuuuu

earl

for prometeus 256 KVM I just use the tiny core image with links as the browser.. I also tried chromium with flash works ok.. for the 512 KVM I just installed Debian with gnome

n0my

OS: Ubuntu 10.04 x64
Desktop: GNOME
VNC: vnc4server
RAM: 512MB
HDD: 40GB
Provider: Any
Use: all purpose spare remote desktop really.
Programs LAMP

Gum Flavour: fruit

Pencil Brand: Staedtler

Damian

Wtf is a pencil?

black

I have a KVM with 256 MB ram, running chrome fine on idle @ 92 MB. Usually when I use it it'll go up to ~200 MB.

The most important thing is to chose a provider with a good uptime.

jar

Right now the choice of the month of is ramnode a 1GB with Ubuntu 12.04 and Unity 2D. Tablet is my interface so Unity makes sense, but could obviously do with less on another desktop.

jcaleb

Lubuntu uses so little memory, with chromium is best

Go59954

I think choosing a provider and memory size are important too. I've personally had a horror story when I've tried running GUI on a Hostrail VPS (or so-called Hostrail VPS ).

matt_securedspeed

OS: Debian
Desktop Environment: XFCE
RAM: 512MB
Gum Flavor: Mint
Provider: SecuredSpeed
Programs: Terminal and Iceweasel
Brand of Pencil: Bic (mechanical)

netomx

OS: Debian
Desktop Environment: XFCE, but using it
RAM: 256MB (128 with burst)
Gum Flavor: N/A
Provider: BuyVM
Programs: QtWeb and Terminal
Brand of Pencil: no pencil

Infinity

@TheHackBox said: I don't look at my pencil like that...

I take it you've never been bored in class.. #ACHIEVEMENT

Anyways:

OS: Debian
Desktop Environment: XFCE
RAM: 128+MB
Gum Flavor: I got bored of gum ages ago.. I like having something I can actually eat (yes, I know I can actually eat gum but meh, not ideal).
Provider: One which is in the same continent as me, preferably the same country.
Programs: Firefox, Terminal, more depending on the use.
Pencil: Staedtler all the way.

TheHackBox

@Infinity said: I take it you've never been bored in class.. #ACHIEVEMENT

I have, I sleep.

HalfEatenPie

@Infinity said: Provider: One which is in the same continent as me, preferably the same country.

I already own a KVM from Prometeus but that's my biggest concern (I'll be in the States soon anyways)

nunim

OS: Debian
Desktop Environment: LXDE
RAM: 256+
Programs: Iceweasel, Terminal, Office, any other desktop needs

I'm currently using 1GB which is a little overkill but oh well, I mostly end up browsing on it when using public wifi. Most people seem to like VNC but I prefer NX, especially NoMachine. It's really easy to setup a lightweight desktop with NX and LXDE, I've had it running fine on 128Mb with room to spare, using Iceweasel instead of FireFox seems to help a lot.

I played around with the config and reinstalled my OS, so many times before deciding on a lightweight setup I liked. I ended up writing script to install LXDE & NX if anyone is interested, for Debian/Ubuntu.

black

@nunim

I looked into freeNX but it seems like a pain to install. Would you perhaps have a link to a tutorial somewhere?

shaunpud

@nunim said: I ended up writing script to install LXDE & NX if anyone is interested, for Debian/Ubuntu.

I'd be interested thanks nunim.

nunim

This is a minimal install script for NoMachine NX & LXDE, very few applications are included. There is no webbrowser included, this way you may only install the applications you require to avoid bloat.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/88964488/wipnx.sh

$ wget https://dl.dropbox.com/u/88964488/wipnx.sh $ chmod 755 wipnx.sh $ ./wipnx.sh

It's pretty basic but it gets the job done usually. All you need to do now is add a user to log in as, as you cannot login to NX as root.

Download the NoMachine client from:
http://www.nomachine.com/download.php

Point it at your VPS with your non-root user and you're set.

black

Should be wget instead of ./wget

nunim

@black said: Should be wget instead of ./wget

Thanks, I need to go sleeps..

gsrdgrdghd

What do you guys use a remote desktop on a VPS for? I can't really see any advantages.

jar

@gsrdgrdghd For me it extends the capability of mobile devices. A good solid VNC connection to a desktop and a Bluetooth keyboard effectively replaces 90% of what I would do with a laptop. Especially in cases where certain tasks simply cannot be completed reasonably via a mobile browser. So $400 tablet plus let's say $10/m and I no longer buy laptops.

Probably comes close to evening out to preference if I don't figure in my terrible luck with failure rates on laptops that cost under $1200.