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Xpra: Persistent Remote Applications for X11

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Re: Xpra: Persistent Remote Applications for X11

#11
post #2

The description makes me think this can reproduce a cool workflow demonstration I saw a few years ago on reddit[1]. [1]: https://www.reddit.com/r/unixporn/comments/k1eu0n/durden_wor...

There're a few options (including outdated) that can be used to replicate this workflow. Easiest being winswitch (which is based on xpra).

Re: Xpra: Persistent Remote Applications for X11

#12
post #10
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think the existence of Wayland means X11 is deprecated. Lots of people (including myself) would prefer the perfectly working X11 than the feature-incomplete backward-incompatible "modern" wayland

It's deprecated by the people who wrote it, and AFAIK no-one else has taken up the task of maintaining it. Doesn't mean you can't use it (I still use it still, thanks to said breakage), but it's not exactly thriving.

It's still seeing regular releases. It's split into modules now, but the xorg-server module last had a release in April, I think, with multiple contributors, and at least two people are issuing release announcements.

Maybe I'll consider Wayland again in a few years (though, who knows, by then maybe I'll have fallen for the temptation to write my own X server too...), but for now, Xorg works, receiving fixes, and doesn't require me to change anything else in my workflow for no good reason.

Re: Xpra: Persistent Remote Applications for X11

#13
post #10
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think the existence of Wayland means X11 is deprecated. Lots of people (including myself) would prefer the perfectly working X11 than the feature-incomplete backward-incompatible "modern" wayland

It's deprecated by the people who wrote it, and AFAIK no-one else has taken up the task of maintaining it. Doesn't mean you can't use it (I still use it still, thanks to said breakage), but it's not exactly thriving.

Xorg Foundation are not the people who wrote X, they are the last in a long line of maintainers.

Re: Xpra: Persistent Remote Applications for X11

#14
post #8

Last I checked this didn't support HiDPI, a technology invented over 10 years ago.

I have not used Xpra, so I do not know if it has any problems with this, but a priori I do not see why an application like Xpra would need to be aware about the screen resolution. That should be handled by the X clients and servers.

I have used only 4k monitors for more than 10 years in Linux and the only applications with which I frequently had problems were various programs written in Java by morons, which were usually proprietary applications and some times quite expensive, but they lacked such elementary customization features like allowing the user to change the font, or at least its size, while failing to use the configuration settings of the graphic desktop, i.e. the value set for the monitor DPI, like all non-Java programs.

Re: Xpra: Persistent Remote Applications for X11

#15
I tried Xpra for remote applications some four to five years ago when I migrated from Windows to Linux and needed a Remote Desktop (type) alternative.

I stuck with it for a while in advance of numerous other options, until I found NoMachine - which doesn't do remote applications but does do full remote desktop and has the closest 'feel' to being local-machine than anything other than Windows Remote Desktop.

I (ironically?) dislike Microsoft just that little bit extra for making Remote Desktop so damn good whilst progressively destroying the Windows experience.

I would like to try Xpra again, but I've got a growing list of "I'd like to try that's" that even the top priorities only get small bites taken out of them per week / month - and my current workflow is pretty good.

Re: Xpra: Persistent Remote Applications for X11

#17

I tried Xpra for remote applications some four to five years ago when I migrated from Windows to Linux and needed a Remote Desktop (type) alternative. I stuck with it for a while in advance of numerous other options, until I found NoMachine - which doesn't do remote applications but does do full remote desktop and has the closest 'feel' to being local-machine than anything other than Windows Remote Desktop. I (ironic…

For remote desktop use cases, I’ve found RustDesk to be pretty good, especially if you can self host the relay: https://github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk

I especially enjoyed that I can use AV1 for the encoding (better quality even at lower bitrates), being able to switch resolutions easily and also the response times being pretty quick.

Re: Xpra: Persistent Remote Applications for X11

#18

I tried Xpra for remote applications some four to five years ago when I migrated from Windows to Linux and needed a Remote Desktop (type) alternative. I stuck with it for a while in advance of numerous other options, until I found NoMachine - which doesn't do remote applications but does do full remote desktop and has the closest 'feel' to being local-machine than anything other than Windows Remote Desktop. I (ironic…

KRDP Server is getting there. I was able to play Civ VI over it from my Macbook Air with decent fps.

Re: Xpra: Persistent Remote Applications for X11

#20
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think the existence of Wayland means X11 is deprecated. Lots of people (including myself) would prefer the perfectly working X11 than the feature-incomplete backward-incompatible "modern" wayland

I haven't yet seen any compelling reason to move off of X11. It's been years since I've checked - what's the current state of the art ?

> what's the current state of the art ?

Wayland is going to make 2024 the year of Linux on the Desktop!

Any day now...

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