The linux server for NComputing right now is terrible.  There is very little you can do with it other than turn it on.  The Admin Console is the best example of terrible support  It looks like NComputing just copied the the Windows Form into a GTK template and left out all the functionality.  And tough luck getting it to work on a modern distro.  There is a kernel module installed depending on an old kernel image which is the reason why only older Linux distros are supported. 

What I would like to see is the Linux server and admin console development to be handled by the open source community.  Since the method used for desktop sharing in a Linux environment is so different than the more virtualized method Ncomputing uses in Windows, the proprietary nature of the windows server/client can be maintained while opening up the Linux method.

As a customer who uses NComputing products with Linux I am tired of waiting for NComputing to support the Linux functionality of their products.  I understand that the demand for linux support may not be as great as the Windows and the upcoming Vista support, and thats why development for Linux should be left up to programmers like me to handle with the support of NComputing.  I hope you take this into consideration and I know I am not the only one out there willing to take on the task of improving Linux support for NComputing products.

Ok, I've started an open source project to create a manager for nComputing systems in Linux.  Right now the program runs localy on the server and monitors log files to determine the up status of each client.  It helps to have static IP's because as of yet I am unable to collect unique identifiers over differnt subnets.  I know there is alot of interest in improving nComputing in Linux so any advice or suggestions for the project would be appreciated.  Check out the project on Launchpad if you are interested.

https://launchpad.net/open-ncomp-man

This system was tested with pre-Beta server software with L230 clients.

What kind of answer are you looking for exactly?

There are great limitations to what can be done with when interacting with NComputing's proprietary server. The best I could do with it was to provide a way to monitor the sever via the log files it generated, and restart terminals by killing there connections. Thats all, so it is not the great solution we are all looking for. It would seem that when you reach your hand out to the Linux community by offering them support with your product you would not turn around and insult them by using a close source model of development. NComputing has just proven the inherent failure of the closed source model by releasing a poorly functioning, unsupported product that the customer can do nothing about. Why would NComputing waste their time creating a Linux solution, claim their product supports Linux, only to have such limitations that no one can actually use the product in the way they wanted to.

I would say that any possibility of a solution in the near future is unlikely. Judging from the current implementation of the Linux software NComputing has very little knowledge of creating, or deploy software for Linux. How can they seriously expect us to use “this” distribution of Linux only with “this” kernel. Doing this is ridiculous, and proof of their lack of expertise. If customers knew this before they purchased the product for the purpose of using it with Linux, they would have surely though twice.

The fact that NComputing is hiring someone for a Linux position shows they are trying, but I don't suppose there has been much interest as I have seen the position listed for quite some time. What doesn't make sense is why they won't release the source code for their Linux software. Right now NComputing can not be proud of their Linux software's performance. Judging from the support I received from NComputing when I was still working with the clients they couldn't care less about their Linux product. But if that is the case then why not open up the source and let your product bloom via the community. The sale of the hardware would be improved by Linux support and interest, especially when compared to how many people are driven away by what you offer now.

I would love to know the answers to these questions. As someone who works for an open source company I can see where NComputing is making a lot of mistakes and how they could do better. I would love to know their reasoning, but it is really just a pain for us the customers.

~Andy Nichols