x2go

[loveshack]

Presumably the x2go service should be documented.

[ptheywood]

From an email thread:

Regarding x2go, it works on Bede as long as you are choosy over what you run and ask for a session type of "Published applications". Anything MATE related won't, but an xterm will - which at least is a start.

I've no experience with x2go personsally, would you be able to provide any more information on its usage or what / where in the documentation you would expect this to go (usage maybe?)?

[loveshack]

Sorry I seem never to have replied to this. I won't try to provide documentation for the service, but the Manchester equivalent is in the x2go menu items at https://ri.itservices.manchester.ac.uk/virtual-desktop-service/x2go/

The main thing is that the bede version doesn't provide a desktop, and you have to select the left-hand circular Applications button at the bottom of the panel you get at login. Just mentioning it's available, with that hint, would help. Presumably it should go where login is documented. It was usable for simple 3D molecular graphics over FTTC ADSL.

[loveshack]

I don't know where it should go. I posted a usage hint at the time [heavy sigh about only ephemeral communication]. However, I find it's now broken with the configuration that worked previously, so it obviously shouldn't be documented now. I'll report that and try to remember to update this later.

[bodgerer]

Jumping in...

x2go wasn't previously documented on Bede because it didn't play nicely with the version of RHEL7/ppc64le we had available. I've just tried it and it seems to be working fine on RHEL8 now, which is nice. You do have to ask for Published Applications rather than a desktop, as Bede isn't really a virtual desktop service!

One change I've made today is install mate-terminal, which is a better terminal emulator than xterm. It either wasn't available or wasn't working under x2go earlier in the year, but seems to be ok now.

For reference, here's the documentation we used for our internal service, which is configured in the same way (although MATE Terminal should be used instead of Xterm):

https://www.dur.ac.uk/arc/hamilton/usage/login/#tab-group-7128

[loveshack]

x2go wasn't previously documented on Bede because it didn't play nicely with the version of RHEL7/ppc64le we had available. I've just tried it and it seems to be working fine on RHEL8 now, which is nice.

I thought I used it OK previously on bede but, yes, it's worked for me a few times, including with simple opengl.

You do have to ask for Published Applications rather than a desktop, as Bede isn't really a virtual desktop service!

Not the place for discussion, but I wonder why not; it would at least make documentation easier!

For reference, here's the documentation we used for our internal service, which is configured in the same way (although MATE Terminal should be used instead of Xterm):

https://www.dur.ac.uk/arc/hamilton/usage/login/#tab-group-7128

If you're expected always to use the terminal, perhaps suggest configuring the client to invoke that directly?

By the way, if there's support for mobile access (good!), mosh should be documented too for terminal use.

[bodgerer]

Looking at how documentation for X2GO could be added. Some users may find more extensive text with pictures useful.

We could add brief instructions to the "Login" section, and aim to provide a longer "Guide" or "FAQ" entry later on?

[bodgerer]

See PR #162

[bodgerer]

x2go is now documented